Aiptasia = most tenacious thing I know of.

[Dr Drudge]

Man, these *******s are tough. Gotta give them points for tenacity.
So far I'm losing the battle-

(1) Tried peppermint shrimp- added two to my AGA72bow about a month
ago. Immediately after being added they approached and got stung by
some of the larger "appies"- then they targeted some smaller ones and
started eating. I thought my problems were over. Funny how the shrimp
"attack" the appies: they seem to pick them apart by letting the
anenmone sting them on the antennae and then pull back quickly to tear
a piece off (at least that's what I think I saw).
I thought I noticed a decrease in the aiptasia in the following couple
of days- but I still had many (hundreds?) of various sizes. I could
not fing the shrimp after that (there are many places to hide).

(2) Added two more peppermint shrimp a week later. Got same exact
results as before but still have MANY appies. I actually saw three of
the shrimp yesterday- just hanging out. Maybe there's too much other
food in there.

(3) Tried the "burn 'em with kalk" method. I mixed up some kalk
"paste" and applied directly to the appies using a syringe-like
dropper I had from a test kit. This method works pretty well if you
get a good shot right on it's mouth.
This method scares me a little- I end up with the white powder
floating about the tank.(I learned that it's easier and safer if I
turn off the circulation first).
The anemones shrivel up from the kalk paste- but believe it or not
some recovered. Couldn't believe it. I wish some of the nice corals
were this hardy (but isn't that just the way life is)?

(4) Tried using lemon juice in a syringe (needle). The method only
worked on the smaller ones, and even then it's was hard to get them as
they retract into the rock.

Don't know what to do next. Maybe I'll take each piece of rock out of
the display and do the kalk treatment in a bucket so as not to harm
anything else- actually I only have two pieces of coral in there (1
rock with red mushrooms and some button polyps) besides a multitude of
microfauna. I really want to get a handle on the aiptasia before
adding anything delicate.

To think this started from one hitch hiker.

[Marc Levenson]

I just read about Joe's Juice, so check them out. joesjuice.com

Marc


Dr Drudge wrote:

> Man, these *******s are tough. Gotta give them points for tenacity.
> So far I'm losing the battle-
>
> (1) Tried peppermint shrimp- added two to my AGA72bow about a month
> ago. Immediately after being added they approached and got stung by
> some of the larger "appies"- then they targeted some smaller ones and
> started eating. I thought my problems were over. Funny how the shrimp
> "attack" the appies: they seem to pick them apart by letting the
> anenmone sting them on the antennae and then pull back quickly to tear
> a piece off (at least that's what I think I saw).
> I thought I noticed a decrease in the aiptasia in the following couple
> of days- but I still had many (hundreds?) of various sizes. I could
> not fing the shrimp after that (there are many places to hide).
>
> (2) Added two more peppermint shrimp a week later. Got same exact
> results as before but still have MANY appies. I actually saw three of
> the shrimp yesterday- just hanging out. Maybe there's too much other
> food in there.
>
> (3) Tried the "burn 'em with kalk" method. I mixed up some kalk
> "paste" and applied directly to the appies using a syringe-like
> dropper I had from a test kit. This method works pretty well if you
> get a good shot right on it's mouth.
> This method scares me a little- I end up with the white powder
> floating about the tank.(I learned that it's easier and safer if I
> turn off the circulation first).
> The anemones shrivel up from the kalk paste- but believe it or not
> some recovered. Couldn't believe it. I wish some of the nice corals
> were this hardy (but isn't that just the way life is)?
>
> (4) Tried using lemon juice in a syringe (needle). The method only
> worked on the smaller ones, and even then it's was hard to get them as
> they retract into the rock.
>
> Don't know what to do next. Maybe I'll take each piece of rock out of
> the display and do the kalk treatment in a bucket so as not to harm
> anything else- actually I only have two pieces of coral in there (1
> rock with red mushrooms and some button polyps) besides a multitude of
> microfauna. I really want to get a handle on the aiptasia before
> adding anything delicate.
>
> To think this started from one hitch hiker.

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Pszemol]

I won a battle with aiptasia and my ally was Lysmata wurdermanni.
Yes, the peppermint shrimp. I have much smaller tank, only 30g
and my aiptasia outbreak was not big: had 3-4 big ones and
maybe 20 tiny ones, but I would recommend shrimps mixed with
some mechanic methods.
I find the shrimp the best ally to battle those small ones. Big ones
you have to kill on your own. And do not expect 2-4 shrimp making
even a dent if you have hundreds of aiptasia like you said...
Shrimp will quickly fill their stomache and the speed of eating will
not be greater then the speed of aiptasia growing - you will not win.
I would recommend purchasing 10 or 20 wurdermanni shrimps
for the size of your tank and the amount of aiptasia problem...
They are running for $5-7 each online. Really cheap and helpfull.
You can buy them making some agrement you will bring them to LFS
to get some store credit or something - anyway, even returning them
for free would be worth it to clean your tank from aiptasia... right?
Than, clean your tank mechanicaly as much as you can with sucking
aiptasia out or scraping them from the rock with toothbrush or smthg.
Shrimps will definitely help with the problem but you NEED to
overwhelm aiptasia with predators. You may want to stop feeding
the tank for a week or so to keep shrimps hungry...
After aiptasia will be gone you still want 2-4 shrimps left in the tank
to keep some potential aiptaisia from growing back. I have two of
them in my 30g and I am very happy with the work they do...
One day I purchased some macroalgae infested with aiptasia so
without shrimps in the tank I would have aiptasia in the main tank
in no time... With them my tank is aiptasia clean. They really work but
their potential is limited of course. Keep this in mind when ordering them.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[Bob Parkins]

Yup! it worked for me. I only had one to kill and it acted VERY FAST.....
disappeared never to be heard from. The only thing I would caution about JJ
is that it is a little watery, so be careful how you apply it. You don't
want it to run out of the included syringe too early. I applied only a
LITTLE more than I intended to but with no ill effects. It actually wasn't
difficult at all to apply, just a little detail that may help. So far I
have confidence in the product.
I also had a good experience with Joe himself. After a while I sent an
email because it hadn't arrived. He was very quick to respond and very
accommodating. He asked me to see if it arrived the following day and call
him if it did or didn't. It didn't and I did. He was very nice and sent me
another immediately. He also said I did not have to send the original back
if it came. The second shipment got to me very quickly (NY -> CA). I think
he may have expedited it with faster shipping. He asked me to notify him
when it arrived... it did and I did. He told me the other had just arrived
back to him..... apparently it had my wrong office suite on the label.
Also, for first time customers he was offering free shipping. Actually you
pay and he sends you back a check with the shipment. Shipping is only a
couple bucks but I like the service...... besides... product worked and tank
is happy.

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> I just read about Joe's Juice, so check them out. joesjuice.com
>
> Marc
>
>
> Dr Drudge wrote:
>
> > Man, these *******s are tough. Gotta give them points for tenacity.
> > So far I'm losing the battle-
> >
> > (1) Tried peppermint shrimp- added two to my AGA72bow about a month
> > ago. Immediately after being added they approached and got stung by
> > some of the larger "appies"- then they targeted some smaller ones and
> > started eating. I thought my problems were over. Funny how the shrimp
> > "attack" the appies: they seem to pick them apart by letting the
> > anenmone sting them on the antennae and then pull back quickly to tear
> > a piece off (at least that's what I think I saw).
> > I thought I noticed a decrease in the aiptasia in the following couple
> > of days- but I still had many (hundreds?) of various sizes. I could
> > not fing the shrimp after that (there are many places to hide).
> >
> > (2) Added two more peppermint shrimp a week later. Got same exact
> > results as before but still have MANY appies. I actually saw three of
> > the shrimp yesterday- just hanging out. Maybe there's too much other
> > food in there.
> >
> > (3) Tried the "burn 'em with kalk" method. I mixed up some kalk
> > "paste" and applied directly to the appies using a syringe-like
> > dropper I had from a test kit. This method works pretty well if you
> > get a good shot right on it's mouth.
> > This method scares me a little- I end up with the white powder
> > floating about the tank.(I learned that it's easier and safer if I
> > turn off the circulation first).
> > The anemones shrivel up from the kalk paste- but believe it or not
> > some recovered. Couldn't believe it. I wish some of the nice corals
> > were this hardy (but isn't that just the way life is)?
> >
> > (4) Tried using lemon juice in a syringe (needle). The method only
> > worked on the smaller ones, and even then it's was hard to get them as
> > they retract into the rock.
> >
> > Don't know what to do next. Maybe I'll take each piece of rock out of
> > the display and do the kalk treatment in a bucket so as not to harm
> > anything else- actually I only have two pieces of coral in there (1
> > rock with red mushrooms and some button polyps) besides a multitude of
> > microfauna. I really want to get a handle on the aiptasia before
> > adding anything delicate.
> >
> > To think this started from one hitch hiker.
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[jpg]

living here in CT i can get it right off the shelf at the LFS.its a very
good product.never heard of any bad responses to its use.


--
jpg

jay the reef keeper
------------------------------------------------------------------------
jpg's Profile: http://www.reef-chat.com/forum/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11
View this thread: http://www.reef-chat.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=7396

[Timothy Tom]

I have had 100% success with a 10 cc syringe filled with boiling tank
water. Put tip of syringe in hole the aiptasia lives; quickly squirt
contents of syringe into hole; repeat twice. Have done this on
approximately 40 aiptasia in my tank over 2 years which were
indigenous to the Live rock and subsequent corals added to the tank.
Never have had one survive in the hole it was living which has been
treated by this method. Obviously beware of sensitive corals nearby,
although I have treated aiptasia less than an inch away from hard and
soft corals without apparent harm.

[Dr Drudge]

Ordered some today.

Thanks guys.

"Bob Parkins" > wrote in message et>...
> Yup! it worked for me. I only had one to kill and it acted VERY FAST.....
> disappeared never to be heard from. The only thing I would caution about JJ
> is that it is a little watery, so be careful how you apply it. You don't
> want it to run out of the included syringe too early. I applied only a
> LITTLE more than I intended to but with no ill effects. It actually wasn't
> difficult at all to apply, just a little detail that may help. So far I
> have confidence in the product.
> I also had a good experience with Joe himself. After a while I sent an
> email because it hadn't arrived. He was very quick to respond and very
> accommodating. He asked me to see if it arrived the following day and call
> him if it did or didn't. It didn't and I did. He was very nice and sent me
> another immediately. He also said I did not have to send the original back
> if it came. The second shipment got to me very quickly (NY -> CA). I think
> he may have expedited it with faster shipping. He asked me to notify him
> when it arrived... it did and I did. He told me the other had just arrived
> back to him..... apparently it had my wrong office suite on the label.
> Also, for first time customers he was offering free shipping. Actually you
> pay and he sends you back a check with the shipment. Shipping is only a
> couple bucks but I like the service...... besides... product worked and tank
> is happy.
>
> "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I just read about Joe's Juice, so check them out. joesjuice.com
> >
> > Marc
> >
> >
> > Dr Drudge wrote:
> >
> > > Man, these *******s are tough. Gotta give them points for tenacity.
> > > So far I'm losing the battle-
> > >
> > > (1) Tried peppermint shrimp- added two to my AGA72bow about a month
> > > ago. Immediately after being added they approached and got stung by
> > > some of the larger "appies"- then they targeted some smaller ones and
> > > started eating. I thought my problems were over. Funny how the shrimp
> > > "attack" the appies: they seem to pick them apart by letting the
> > > anenmone sting them on the antennae and then pull back quickly to tear
> > > a piece off (at least that's what I think I saw).
> > > I thought I noticed a decrease in the aiptasia in the following couple
> > > of days- but I still had many (hundreds?) of various sizes. I could
> > > not fing the shrimp after that (there are many places to hide).
> > >
> > > (2) Added two more peppermint shrimp a week later. Got same exact
> > > results as before but still have MANY appies. I actually saw three of
> > > the shrimp yesterday- just hanging out. Maybe there's too much other
> > > food in there.
> > >
> > > (3) Tried the "burn 'em with kalk" method. I mixed up some kalk
> > > "paste" and applied directly to the appies using a syringe-like
> > > dropper I had from a test kit. This method works pretty well if you
> > > get a good shot right on it's mouth.
> > > This method scares me a little- I end up with the white powder
> > > floating about the tank.(I learned that it's easier and safer if I
> > > turn off the circulation first).
> > > The anemones shrivel up from the kalk paste- but believe it or not
> > > some recovered. Couldn't believe it. I wish some of the nice corals
> > > were this hardy (but isn't that just the way life is)?
> > >
> > > (4) Tried using lemon juice in a syringe (needle). The method only
> > > worked on the smaller ones, and even then it's was hard to get them as
> > > they retract into the rock.
> > >
> > > Don't know what to do next. Maybe I'll take each piece of rock out of
> > > the display and do the kalk treatment in a bucket so as not to harm
> > > anything else- actually I only have two pieces of coral in there (1
> > > rock with red mushrooms and some button polyps) besides a multitude of
> > > microfauna. I really want to get a handle on the aiptasia before
> > > adding anything delicate.
> > >
> > > To think this started from one hitch hiker.
> >
> > --
> > Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> > Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> > Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
> >
> >

[Dr Drudge]

"Pszemol" > wrote in message >...
> I won a battle with aiptasia and my ally was Lysmata wurdermanni.
> Yes, the peppermint shrimp. I have much smaller tank, only 30g
> and my aiptasia outbreak was not big: had 3-4 big ones and
> maybe 20 tiny ones, but I would recommend shrimps mixed with
> some mechanic methods.
> I find the shrimp the best ally to battle those small ones. Big ones
> you have to kill on your own. And do not expect 2-4 shrimp making
> even a dent if you have hundreds of aiptasia like you said...
> Shrimp will quickly fill their stomache and the speed of eating will
> not be greater then the speed of aiptasia growing - you will not win.
> I would recommend purchasing 10 or 20 wurdermanni shrimps
> for the size of your tank and the amount of aiptasia problem...
> They are running for $5-7 each online. Really cheap and helpfull.
> You can buy them making some agrement you will bring them to LFS
> to get some store credit or something - anyway, even returning them
> for free would be worth it to clean your tank from aiptasia... right?
> Than, clean your tank mechanicaly as much as you can with sucking
> aiptasia out or scraping them from the rock with toothbrush or smthg.
> Shrimps will definitely help with the problem but you NEED to
> overwhelm aiptasia with predators. You may want to stop feeding
> the tank for a week or so to keep shrimps hungry...
> After aiptasia will be gone you still want 2-4 shrimps left in the tank
> to keep some potential aiptaisia from growing back. I have two of
> them in my 30g and I am very happy with the work they do...
> One day I purchased some macroalgae infested with aiptasia so
> without shrimps in the tank I would have aiptasia in the main tank
> in no time... With them my tank is aiptasia clean. They really work but
> their potential is limited of course. Keep this in mind when ordering them.
> Good luck and keep us posted.


Thanks for the input.
I will take your advice and add some more _Lysmata Wurdermanni_ (I was
planning on that anyway). I figure 10 might be a good number- and yes,
they are cheap enough (7.99 LFS) and well worth the cost if it works.
I really don't feed the tank at all (maybe a pinch of flake at night
once a week) since there are no fish (only a few mushrooms and button
polyps, some snails and crabs, lots of microfauna, and did I mention
aipstasia..). I have been trying my best not to add anything delicate
that would end up dead from getting stung by these damn things.

I don't ever think I'll ever be rid of them- they are even in the
built-in corner overflow. The only place I don't have them is in the
sump.

Thanks and I'll post any good news (either that or you'll read about
some guy on Long Island that blew up an aquarium in frustration).

[Jimmy Chen]

> (1) Tried peppermint shrimp

Wont touch the large ones.

> (3) Tried the "burn 'em with kalk" method.

Doesnt work because you cannot get to every corner of your tank like your
aiptasia can.

> (4) Tried using lemon juice in a syringe (needle).

Ditto to 3.

> Don't know what to do next.

After 4+ years, butterfly angel is the only method that seems to be working
for me right now in my 120g SPS tank. However, do caution on using this
method if you have a softie tank, as they are known to eat corals.

jc