Tropical Fish Forums

jonjbck · Members Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: portsmouth, uk

hello I have these growing out of my live rock I have quite a few are they bad or shell I just let them grow I have a few corals so I didn't no if they harmed them. thanks

Mike612 · Exemplars Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec, Canada

Looks like aiptasia anemones to me and yes they are bad. They can multiply very quickly and become worse than a pest. I have never had one of these anemones so I don't have any experience at getting rid of them; however, I hear that hot water can kill them. Suck some hot water into a sygringe and let 'em have it. I'm guessing that you can also just throw away the rock that has these guys all over them, unless a coral is on it.

jonjbck · Members Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: portsmouth, uk

oh no well there on most of my rocks and I don't really want to throw them away I have just read up on it and I can kill them 2 ways, 1st way I can buy a Coralcola Butterflyfish that can eat them but could be harmfull to my other coral but I havant got a lot of coral any way. 2nd get a Syringe fill it with lemon juice and inject the stem of them and they would die and not harming the water of my marine. But I live in england and I proberbly won't be able to get a syringe that easy.

Mike612 · Exemplars Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec, Canada

Even though this is a hit and miss, you can also try Peppermint Shrimp. They're known to eat aiptasia anemones. It's a hit and miss because some do in fact eat the aiptasia and others don't. It depends on the shrimp.

CCS · Regulars Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Location: SLO County, CA, USA

I'm sure, even in England, you can find a syringe. What are those shepherds using to medicate their sheep? Cattlemen with their cattle? You can probably find a syringe at your local hardware store or somethin'.
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I would like to acknowledge that all of the info I give is purely based on research.

Osprey · Advisors Joined: 15 May 2006 Location: Okotoks, AB

A turkey baster would work as well. Don't buy the butterflyfish, they'll eventually run out of aiptasia and starve. About 10% of the peppermint shrimp are supposed to eat those anenomes, so that's your call. Make sure you don't cut the aiptasia in any way; they reproduce by budding!
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susaben · New Members Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Location: Alabama, USA

The solution I have found to be most efficient is to inject the STEM of the aiptasia with 0.5mL lemon juice concentrate. The aiptasia has to be large enough to inject the juice into, not through, the stem. It is suggested to only kill a few at the time so as not to disrupt the pH of your tank. I suggest killing the aiptasia one section at a time. They will string out white from the center but that it what it should do. They are a real pest and they can spread quickly. The hot water method doesn't work well in my experience.
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Susan Benefield

jonjbck · Members Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: portsmouth, uk

OK I will do that, so the lemon juice shouldnt harm any of my tank I have about 3 big 1's so il give it a go. cheers

Mat167 · New Members Joined: 21 Jun 2006

I have never heard of the lemon juice theory but it does make sense. the methods I use are the following
1. make a high concentration salt solution (extremely high, should look similar to milk) and using a syringe follow the same technique as the lemon juice, inject it right on top of or into the anemone.
2. peppermint shrimp (I know only a certain percentage will eat them but its the safest method)

sadly there is no great way to get rid of them, short of setting your rocks on fire...but don't do that lol

SLACkra

I've had success with the boiling water technique. basically boiling the little buggers. I also had success with pepermint shrimp which also make facinating little tank inhabitants!

unless I am mistaken the copper banded butterfly will also consume them.

good luck trying to get rid of them they are evil,

Andrew