What is this?

[itsme8719]

Ok so i'm very new to this hobby and I've had my 12 gallon tank going for probably 9 months or so. When I purchased some live rock a while back there were....I'm guessing some kind of anemones on it. There were just a couple of little ones a first but eventually they got bigger and then more of them started to appear all over the tank. Now I have about 3 or 4 bigger ones and a lot of little ones all over my live rock. Ok so i'll get to my question now. Are these actually some kind of anemone and if so what kind are they? Also, is it a problem that they are multiplying and popping up all over the live rock? Thanks!

sorry i know the pictures aren't very good

[Rob]

First off, welcome to talkingreef..

second.. yes, those are anemones.. they are bad/pest anemones

they are called aptasia, and can be a real nuisance
there are a few ways to get rid of them.

the most natural way is to try getting a peppermint shrimp as they naturally feed on these things.

another step, is to inject them with something called joe's juice (some LFS sell it, but you can make it your self) or you can make a kalk paste, and cover them in it.

if they are all on one rock that could be removed, you could remove the rock and bake it.
this will kill everything in the rock including those little buggers.
the beneficial bacteria that you want in the rock will come back, but if the aptasia are only on that rock you will be good to go

[Kevin McG]

Yup as Rob noted they are a pest and you want to eradicate them asap. I use Joes juice and have some peppermint shimp that keep them at bay in my system.

[Rob]

a multi pronged approach is usually best.
try to get rid of them asap, then use the peppermint shrimp to keep control of any that might pop back up.

besides, pepermint shrimp make a great addition to any tank.
and will do well in your nano

[itsme8719]

Thanks guys I really appreciate your help!

[gwen_o_lyn]

If you don't wanna waste money on Joe's Juice- you can mix a solution of kalk and water and shoot em with that- some people heat the water- either way works- the trick is to mess up the PH and that kills em.

Get em out as fast as you can. If you have lots of them then get a peppermint shrimp or 2.

[gwen_o_lyn]

dang- 4 posts at the same time!!

[Rob]

yeah.. its great eh?...lol

the kalk is probably the cheapest way, if you have the powder already.

but as Gwen mentioned some use boiling water.
if have a syringe, or something (like the droppers that come with the salifert test kits) you can inject them with the boiling water.

just be careful if you go the kalk route because the tank is small, and kalk has a really high PH. So just make sure you keep an eye on the PH if you use that method

[gwen_o_lyn]

I think u can use vinegar too- is that right Rob?

After I killed one, then a few more babies popped up a few inches away! ha! Just be careful shooting them near corals cos u can knock out ur corals in the same manner.

[Rob]

I think u can use vinegar too- is that right Rob?

After I killed one, then a few more babies popped up a few inches away! ha! Just be careful shooting them near corals cos u can knock out ur corals in the same manner.

yep,. you can use vinegar too..
but yes, be careful of coral.

its nice because with the paste, you can usually keep it localized. but if you have a syringe, then the vinegar can work also. but again, vinegar is very acidic, so watch the PH in that small tank..

[pham411]

APTASIA!!!!! KILL IT QUICK!!!! hahah ok i think already got the picture.
good luck

[AdamJ]

then the vinegar can work also. but again, vinegar is very acidic, so watch the PH in that small tank..

vinegar is so acidic it might actially be an acid!
:razz:

the kind of "white" vinegar you get at the grocery store is about 95% water, but the vinegary part is acetic acid.

so you definatly want to watch how much you add to your system if you would be to use this.

[Rob]

vinegar is so acidic it might actially be an acid!

lmao.. yeah.. i wasn't going to go that far...

when looking at a bottle of vinegar, you will see 5% acidity or something.
and this is what Adam is referring to. its 5% acetic acid rest is water.

[Scott]

Just don't try and pull (rip) them out or cut them....that can actually help them spread! yuck!

[Raggamuffin]

Brand new here myself but I'd recognize them buggers anywhere, my LFS uses redfooted hermit crabs in thier "just arrived" LR tanks to munch them.

[pham411]

which redfooted hermits raggamuffin?

[Marauder-m]

I have had to deal with these guys on a semi-regular basis. My LSF are crap at keeping their tanks clear of them, so every time I get a new coral, they sprout up all over the place.
Had success using kalk, vinegar and also boiling water (not all at the same time). I use a little 1 cc syringe with a really thin needle. I got it from the local pharmacy (went in with short sleeves and sandals so they could see I didn't have any track marks). The other customers were horrified that someone was buying a syringe right in front of them. Pretty sure they thought I was going straight out to the alley to shoot up. Funny.

[gwen_o_lyn]

ha ha Marauder- funny story!!

Welcome to TR Raggamuffin!

[CarmieJo]

Many pet stores/farm supply stores sell syringes for vaccinating animals. If you live in the middle of a really large city they may be a bit hard to find. No one ever looks at you funny when you walk in there and buy syringes

[Raggamuffin]

Dardanus Megistos to be specific Pham, they eat Aiptasia while being mostly harmless to other inverts.

[bmwaaron]

So do all pepermint shrimp eat them or is it kinda like a fish were you might get lucky and a pepermint shrimp will eat them?

[fat walrus]

So do all pepermint shrimp eat them or is it kinda like a fish were you might get lucky and a pepermint shrimp will eat them?

almost all the peppermints will eat them. some people wait until there are so many aiptasias that the one or two shrimp they buy just can't eat them faster than they can multiply.

[bmwaaron]

So can I use Joes juice or boiling water while my tank is cycling? And after I use one of these products will it die and float to the top? What happens after treating it?

[gwen_o_lyn]

So can I use Joes juice or boiling water while my tank is cycling? And after I use one of these products will it die and float to the top? What happens after treating it?

So can I use Joes juice or boiling water while my tank is cycling? And after I use one of these products will it die and float to the top? What happens after treating it?

If you see aiptasia in your tank, go ahead and shoot them. They will just wither away to nothing and die. If you have a lot, just try and get the bigger ones, and plan to get peppermints down the road. I put 4 peppermints in my 72 and haven't seen aiptasia since.

I have heard of people being sold something similar to peppermints and it was eating their corals, just make sure you get the real peppermints and you won't have a problem.

As for my peppermints- they hide in the rocks and its rare that I see them

[JR Aquatics]

Joes Juice is what I use to kill those ugly buggers. If ou buy Joes juice direct (http://joesjuice.com) it is free shipping if in the USA on your first order. It also comes with the applicator. FWIW