Aiptasia control methods - Poll

[asylumdown]

There are a myriad of products out there that can/claim to control aiptasia. This poll is to find out what methods people have employed to successfully and permanently eradicate aiptasia from a system, and which methods they've tried but failed. The criteria: The top part of the list is all the methods that have worked for you, the bottom is for all the things that you've tried but experienced failure. Only check 'success' if the listed method has actually led to the complete removal of aiptasia from a system. No more. Gone. Temporarily reducing their numbers for a time but needing ongoing re-application by the aquarist doesn't count, so please also make sure you've given each of the listed methods enough time to know if they've worked or not. If you've managed to eliminate aiptasia from a display using one of the fish listed but they're still present in a sump/overflows, I would also count that as a 'success', as the aquarist no longer needs to intervene with their time, muscles, or money. In the comments section, please elaborate on how much time, effort, and money the method that worked for you required, and how bad the aiptasia problem was before you achieved 'control'. The last three questions are general questions regarding your experience with aiptasia.

[asylumdown]

oops, I didn't realize we had a poll section. Perhaps this can be moved there!

[ScubaSteve]

Combo of aptasia x and Berghia did the tick for me. Haven't seen aptasia in months.

[gobytron]

you have to mix in some mysis juice (or similar) to initiate the feeding response in the anemone if you want the kalk paste to work.

[Reef Pilot]

A few years ago, I inherited a tank that had hundreds (maybe thousands) of aiptasia. They were everywhere, even the back glass was totally covered. Got a Copperband, but he didn't touch them. Too many to try any type of injection method.

Then I got a couple Pearlscale Butterflys and they went after the aiptasia like crazy. Even my Copperband then started to join in. It took several months, but they got rid of all the aiptasia (that I could see), except for the ones in the overflow and in the sump (which are still there). The advantage of the Pearlscales is that they leave my corals alone (didn't at first). I have all kinds of softies, LPS and SPS and no problem.

Unfortunately, I have now seen a few aiptasia reappear (I now have 2 tanks, so one Pearlscale in each), and the Pearlscales seem to have got lazy and won't go after them anymore, as when I first got them. However, there aren't a lot of aiptasia (maybe 4 or 5 that I can see), so maybe they are still keeping them under control. I suspect the Pearlscales may have got used to being fed, and their tastes have changed.

I also got some Peppermint Shrimps, but they don't see to be doing anything either. I tried Aiptasia X on a few that I could see and get at. They disappeared for a few days, but then reappeared, in the same spot. So that doesn't seem to work.

If I don't get anymore Aiptasia, I'll be happy, as I can live with just seeing a few in my tank. My overflows and sumps still have then, though, and have not cleaned them out of there yet.

[reefme]

Tagging along. Aiptasia X - Didn't work/made worse.

[Nano]

Tropic marin- aiptasia killer worked for me. I had a few when I first set up and it took care of it. I didnt even blast inside of the pests just surrounded them with it and when they came back out the ate it then shriveled up.

[fishytime]

Way to go Adam.... I believe you just set the record for most options in a poll...


Filefish worked to a degree for me.... He also worked on most of my LPS

[LoJack]

I tried Aiptasia-X ... I swear it was counter productive.

I had approx 1000 aiptasia in my tank about 1 week ago. Today I see maybe 100 ... All I did was add a 4" Copperband. I guess I was one of the lucky one, this guy doesn't stop eating them all day. I can see him plucking them off the rocks and outta the sand at all times throughout the day.

I can't call it a success just yet ... maybe he'll get sick of them, maybe they'll mount a come back, but it has been a very dramatic reduction in a very short period of time.

--Tyler

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by fishytime

Filefish worked to a degree for me.... He also worked on most of my LPS

I've had 4 or 5 of these (suicidal f'ers) and had varying degrees of success. My first one cleaned my 90g of hundreds of aiptasia in a couple weeks. Others were less ambitious, but still did the job. My last one did an ok job, but developed a taste for SPS polyps. Had to go

Overall though, I think keeping a nutrient free tank goes a long way in avoiding these pests.