Anemone killer

[George Patterson]

I have a 125 gallon FOWLR tank. Nearly every surface is now covered with tiny
brown anemones -- we're talking only a few millimeters across. I don't know if
they will grow very large. If so, I will have a real problem at some point.

Is there some sort of invertebrate or crab that eats these? I already have three
types of hermits, some turbos, and a conch, and they aren't making a perceptible
dent in the matter. I would consider a fish to take care of the problem, but it
would have to be compatible with the others. I have a powder-blue, a large
damsel, and two small lions, and I'm considering getting an angel.

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[Billy]

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:nhwhf.25256$%%5.18407@trndny06...
>I have a 125 gallon FOWLR tank. Nearly every surface is now covered
>with tiny brown anemones -- we're talking only a few millimeters
>across. I don't know if they will grow very large. If so, I will
>have a real problem at some point.
>


Not aiptasia, right?

[Michael Lawford]

Sounds like aptasia.......

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:nhwhf.25256$%%5.18407@trndny06...
>I have a 125 gallon FOWLR tank. Nearly every surface is now covered with
>tiny brown anemones -- we're talking only a few millimeters across. I don't
>know if they will grow very large. If so, I will have a real problem at
>some point.
>
> Is there some sort of invertebrate or crab that eats these? I already have
> three types of hermits, some turbos, and a conch, and they aren't making a
> perceptible dent in the matter. I would consider a fish to take care of
> the problem, but it would have to be compatible with the others. I have a
> powder-blue, a large damsel, and two small lions, and I'm considering
> getting an angel.
>
> George Patterson
> We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we
> stop
> playing.

[RJAG]

peppermint shrimp if you can get one or a product such as "Joe's Juice". It
can be syringed into the open mouth and will kill them off quickly.

HTH

R

[Pszemol]

"RJAG" > wrote in message ...
> peppermint shrimp if you can get one

They would quickly become a snack for lion fish... ;-)

[Mislav]

If it is aiptasia get peppermint shrimps, they'll eat it.

Mislav

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:nhwhf.25256$%%5.18407@trndny06...
>I have a 125 gallon FOWLR tank. Nearly every surface is now covered with
>tiny brown anemones -- we're talking only a few millimeters across. I don't
>know if they will grow very large. If so, I will have a real problem at
>some point.
>
> Is there some sort of invertebrate or crab that eats these? I already have
> three types of hermits, some turbos, and a conch, and they aren't making a
> perceptible dent in the matter. I would consider a fish to take care of
> the problem, but it would have to be compatible with the others. I have a
> powder-blue, a large damsel, and two small lions, and I'm considering
> getting an angel.
>
> George Patterson
> We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we
> stop
> playing.

[Mislav]

Sorry, I didn't see that you have lionfish. The only fish I know that eats
aiptasia is Chelmon rostratus (copperband butterfly)

Mislav

"Mislav" > wrote in message ...
> If it is aiptasia get peppermint shrimps, they'll eat it.
>
> Mislav
>
> "George Patterson" > wrote in message
> news:nhwhf.25256$%%5.18407@trndny06...
>>I have a 125 gallon FOWLR tank. Nearly every surface is now covered with
>>tiny brown anemones -- we're talking only a few millimeters across. I
>>don't know if they will grow very large. If so, I will have a real problem
>>at some point.
>>
>> Is there some sort of invertebrate or crab that eats these? I already
>> have three types of hermits, some turbos, and a conch, and they aren't
>> making a perceptible dent in the matter. I would consider a fish to take
>> care of the problem, but it would have to be compatible with the others.
>> I have a powder-blue, a large damsel, and two small lions, and I'm
>> considering getting an angel.
>>
>> George Patterson
>> We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we
>> stop
>> playing.
>
>

[George Patterson]

Mislav wrote:
> If it is aiptasia get peppermint shrimps, they'll eat it.

The lionfish will love that!

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[George Patterson]

Billy wrote:

> Not aiptasia, right?

Dunno.

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[George Patterson]

Mislav wrote:
> Sorry, I didn't see that you have lionfish. The only fish I know that eats
> aiptasia is Chelmon rostratus (copperband butterfly)

Thanks!

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[George Patterson]

Thanks everyone. I did some searching on the web. It looks like it might be
aiptasia, as several of you suggested. One site claims that various fish will
eat these, including the Copperband suggested by Mislav. Copperbands and Racoons
are supposed to be the best. Queen angels also alledgedly like them, so I'm
going to get one of those.

There's also a nudibranch that eats them, but when they run out of aiptasia,
they starve. I'm not going to chance that.

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[Billy]

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:7iRhf.39$xQ3.31@trndny04...
> Thanks everyone. I did some searching on the web. It looks like it
> might be aiptasia, as several of you suggested. One site claims
> that various fish will eat these, including the Copperband
> suggested by Mislav. Copperbands and Racoons are supposed to be the
> best. Queen angels also alledgedly like them, so I'm going to get
> one of those.
>
> There's also a nudibranch that eats them, but when they run out of
> aiptasia, they starve. I'm not going to chance that.


Most nudibranchs have short lifespans anyway, so it's not much of a
consideration IMO. For example, lettuce nudibranches generally will
not live more than six months or so, even with ample food, so I'm
told.

b

[George Patterson]

Billy wrote:

> Most nudibranchs have short lifespans anyway, so it's not much of a
> consideration IMO.

Ok. How 'bout a Queen Angel is whole bunches prettier than some nocturnal
critter half an inch long? :-)

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[Billy]

"George Patterson" > wrote in message
news:YBRhf.50$gi3.5@trndny09...
> Billy wrote:
>
> Ok. How 'bout a Queen Angel is whole bunches prettier than some
> nocturnal critter half an inch long? :-)


Lets go with that one. :)

[Dave Stewart]

If you have coral polyps, the angel & raccoon butterfly will chow down.
Some copperbands work, some don't. I have one now that doesn't bother coral
& eats all SMALL aptisia.
Dave
"Billy" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "George Patterson" > wrote in message
> news:YBRhf.50$gi3.5@trndny09...
>> Billy wrote:
>>
>> Ok. How 'bout a Queen Angel is whole bunches prettier than some nocturnal
>> critter half an inch long? :-)
>
>
> Lets go with that one. :)
>

[Wayne Sallee]

The life span of nudibranches to kill aiptasi, is not an
issue unless you just get one, and one is too small to
make sufficent dent in a well established amount of aiptasia.

The bigest issue is wether they will survive in the reef
tank, as clowns will often kill them to protect their
anemone. They work great when they survive and reproduce,
but they often get killed.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Billy wrote on 11/25/2005 11:20 PM:
> "George Patterson" > wrote in message
> news:7iRhf.39$xQ3.31@trndny04...
>
>>Thanks everyone. I did some searching on the web. It looks like it
>>might be aiptasia, as several of you suggested. One site claims
>>that various fish will eat these, including the Copperband
>>suggested by Mislav. Copperbands and Racoons are supposed to be the
>>best. Queen angels also alledgedly like them, so I'm going to get
>>one of those.
>>
>>There's also a nudibranch that eats them, but when they run out of
>>aiptasia, they starve. I'm not going to chance that.
>
>
>
> Most nudibranchs have short lifespans anyway, so it's not much of a
> consideration IMO. For example, lettuce nudibranches generally will
> not live more than six months or so, even with ample food, so I'm
> told.
>
> b
>
>

[George Patterson]

Dave Stewart wrote:
> If you have coral polyps, the angel & raccoon butterfly will chow down.

Thanks for the warning. I have no live coral.

George Patterson
We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
playing.

[kim gross]

George Patterson wrote:
> Mislav wrote:
>
>> Sorry, I didn't see that you have lionfish. The only fish I know that
>> eats aiptasia is Chelmon rostratus (copperband butterfly)
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> George Patterson
> We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop
> playing.
Copper band works well, Also a Raccon Butterfly, Atlantic Spade fish
will also eat on them. The Peppermint shrimp will also, but your lion
fish would just have a nice snack on them.

Kim