Aiptasia problem

[Morgan]

I have a problem with this pesky anemone aiptasia. Got it from a LR from Reborn some years back.

At first I though I got a anemone not knowing that it will grow to such a pest. It infected both my tanks. It stings and kill corals upon contact.

I bought a Copperbanded Butterfly to control the pest in my reef tank. It works and now you don't see them.

For my FOWLR, the problem is getting worse. I can see so many pop out from the LR. Cannot tahan!!

It is impossible to catch the copperbanded butterfly out put it into the FOWLR tank and I do not want to buy another.

I decided to nuke the pest today with concentrated Kalk. LR by LR. I sure hope that I kill them all.

Next anybody have solution for flatworm problem in reef tank?

Seem like I am the only person that got hit with 2 of the most dreaded reef pest problem.

[Achilles Tang]

Hi Morgan!

Sorry to hear about your current predicament!

Flatworms are extremely fast-growing pests... reaching thousands in a couple of weeks.

For biological control... I heard that a sixline wrasse, mandarin, green chromis, assorted damsels, some nudibranch species and wrasses especially the Melanurus Wrasse can help with the flatworm problem.

Here'a pix of the Melanurus Wrasse.

I had flatworms before... when I introduced some new LR... but I think my six-lined finished them off!

For manual control... try siphoning them off... or give the rocks a freshwater dip for about 20 secs... hypersalinity (1.030+ sg), hyposalinity (1.016 sg), more water movement, less feeding, less lighting... these are what other people have tried doing!

For your aiptasia problem...

Why don't you try catching your copperband late at night when he's sleeping? Use a bright torch light to stun him and then scoop him out?

[nivlac]

I have a problem with this pesky anemone aiptasia. Got it from a LR from Reborn some years back.

At first I though I got a anemone not knowing that it will grow to such a pest. It infected both my tanks. It stings and kill corals upon contact.

I bought a Copperbanded Butterfly to control the pest in my reef tank. It works and now you don't see them.

For my FOWLR, the problem is getting worse. I can see so many pop out from the LR. Cannot tahan!!

It is impossible to catch the copperbanded butterfly out put it into the FOWLR tank and I do not want to buy another.

I decided to nuke the pest today with concentrated Kalk. LR by LR. I sure hope that I kill them all.

Next anybody have solution for flatworm problem in reef tank?

Seem like I am the only person that got hit with 2 of the most dreaded reef pest problem.

For your problem, I used boiling water in a syringe to great success. But problem is trying to reach those that're inacessible.

[Morgan]

For your problem, I used boiling water in a syringe to great success. But problem is trying to reach those that're inacessible.

I once try killing them with a heat gun by burning them. Managed to kill off the large ones.

I took out the LR one by one, using a syringe and apply a thick layer of Kalk onto the aiptasia

Update: This morning everything looks OK ie. the area that was cover by the kalk the aiptasia did not reappear. I think I have to do this over a few days so as to kill those that I've missed.

AT-- putting a wrasse in a reef tank, it is will be impossible to remove after that if you can see my tank. They are not consider reef safe.

I put a mandarin fish in yesterday. Keeping my finger crossed and hope that it will worked.

[Achilles Tang]

Morgan,

I killed another aiptasia pest in my macroalgae in my refugium last week.

I used the kalkwasser paste injection method... it's fast and effective.

They die within minutes, shrivel and drop off easily for siphoning.

[LiveRock]

Anyone got a picture of flat worms? I have some red-colour flat stickers on the glass but they dun seem to be moving at all. Wonder what is dat?

[Morgan]

Morgan,

I killed another aiptasia pest in my macroalgae in my refugium last week.

I used the kalkwasser paste injection method... it's fast and effective.

They die within minutes, shrivel and drop off easily for siphoning.

AT,

Do not pump your refugium to your main tank until you are sure that that was the last one you killed.

Wait for 2 weeks to make sure that there are no more small ones hiding somewhere among the algae.

[Achilles Tang]

I don't see anything else except a nudibranch inside!

[clowntrigger]

Hi AT and Morgan

Can you help me to see if the attached pictures are those aiptasia that you guys are refering? Thanks.

[Phang]

I think those look more like polyps.....

[Morgan]

Hi AT and Morgan

Can you help me to see if the attached pictures are those aiptasia that you guys are refering? Thanks.

Nope, they are not aiptasia. Just polyps.

Aiptasia has longer tentacles, looks more like yellow polyps but is brownish in colour and grow much larger.

[Achilles Tang]

Kinda hard to tell... you have to zoom in closer.

Polyps usually come in a bunch, yours seemed to be spaced out.

I think they look like rock anemonies.

Aiptasia has very long wavy arms and a consistent colour, usually yellow or brown totally... rock anemones are dark brown with short stumpy ones, usually with bright green ends.

Both are considered pests.

[clowntrigger]

AT, in what way are the rock anemonies consider a pest? They kill coral?

[hongqixian]

Not to butt in but anemones become a pest when they cannot be controlled. Such as aiptasia. We cannot control the number of them or it is very difficult when they become a few more after you try to chop up just one. And they can overrrun your tank and sting desirable corals.

[bawater]

clowntrigger- err... i'm thinking those are green/brown button polyps(could be wrong) but pretty sure they not aiptasia(these look like mini long tentacle anemones-brownish red in colouration).

polyps very common on LR. But i think those u may have have been in a stage of prolonged low light levels- they are shrinking.

[Achilles Tang]

AT, in what way are the rock anemonies consider a pest? They kill coral?

They have very strong stings... like aiptasia.

Even clown fishes avoid them.

And they multiply fast.

[clowntrigger]

AT, do I killed them like what people did for aiptasia? Injecting Kalk at high concentration level?

[Achilles Tang]

We haven't IDed those things yet... why are you thinking of killing them already?

[clowntrigger]

No lah, just preparing more info BTW, the stem of these things seem to hard. When I lift the rocks up, the stem does not collapse, maybe that you give you some more clue.

[bawater]

sounds to me more & more like polyps.....but if u do intend to kill anyway-

i give u a simple solution, get a very-very sharp penknife or razor blade & slice at the rock base(if u can pluck them off without killing them beter).

Bag all pieces & i shall collect & dispose them for u- if polyps then i try to revive them, if really is aiptasia....then they shall burn

or inject wif orange juice or coke or somethin else fun(kalk too ex to waste)

a close up pic shall be clearer to id. (if really polyps then would be better if u leave them there)

[clowntrigger]

ok, will try to get a real close up pictures this weekend. I think coke will be better, they are always term as acid by many people.

[Achilles Tang]

.

[hongqixian]

ok, will try to get a real close up pictures this weekend. I think coke will be better, they are always term as acid by many people.

Rice vinegar.