Let's Get Spooky: Aiptasia

Let's Get Spooky: Aiptasia

Boo! Uh oh, we’re guessing you just found aiptasia in your aquarium. In this Halloween blog, we’re going over why these spooky pests are problematic and how to exorcize them!  

Aiptasia anemones are prolific and hitchhike on coral, live rock, macro algae, and other subjects that could have been exposed to them. In the reefing hobby, it is more a concern of maintaining them than getting “infected” with them due to aiptasia being so common in the community. Aiptasia have the ability to quickly reproduce and take over space throughout your aquarium, occasionally stinging coral in the process. This is why dipping and thoroughly inspecting each coral you place into your aquarium is so important! Having a lax mindset and disregarding these precautions, even when you think you don’t see anything, is a sure-fire way to wave hello to your new little friends. 

While there’s a few products that are targeted to treat Aiptasia, it’s smart to stock your aquarium with fish that have a job. Peppermint shrimp, copperband butterfly, berghia nudibranch, and most popular the Aiptasia eating filefish all will make it their mission to make your Aiptasia a tasty snack. Like every living organism in a saltwater aquarium, each one has its pros and cons. It’s important to do your research on each to determine which one fits your system best.

Peppermint Shrimp

Pros: 

  • Part of your cleanup crew and targets aiptasia 
  • Eat debris other than aiptasia
  • Reef safe, peaceful
  • Reasonably priced
  • Easy to care for

Cons: 

  • Tends to target smaller aiptasia, and sometimes not at all
  • Can be coral nippers if underfed
  • Have to find the correct peppermint shrimp: Lysmata Wurdemanni (or Lysmata Bogessi)
  • Could be a snack for predators 

Copperband Butterfly

Pros: 

  • love to eat anemones 
  • beautiful species 

Cons:

  • might love to eat ALL anemones, even the ones you want to keep
  • picky eaters
  • stress prone
  • can be coral nippers

Aiptasia Eating (or Bristletail) Filefish

Pros: 

  • Targets aiptasia 
  • Non aggressive
  • Typically captive bred

Cons: 

  • Some don’t like aiptasia, best practice to find one that has a history of it or “rent” one 
  • Can be coral nippers
  • Initially shy
  • Camouflage, not a bright fish 

Berghia (Aeolid Nudibranch)

Pros:

  • Only eats aiptasia, will find it all
  • Reproduces quickly 
  • Very small, almost unidentifiable 
  • Can give to other hobbyists dealing with aiptasia

Cons:

  • Will starve to death after eating it all
  • Expensive 
  • Potential snack to predators
  • Hunt in packs, need multiple for efficiency 

Having a utilitarian stocked tank is a fantastic way to be cautious, but even the most adept hunters can miss aiptasia’s defense system. When threatened, these glass anemones shrink into themselves and release planula, or larvae. To take a more direct approach, products like Aiptasia X by Red Sea are a great way in eliminating your problem at the source. This reef safe product not only eliminates the Aiptasia itself, but also its larvae. Aiptasia X mimics food, enticing the aiptasia to open and ingest it. Once the formula is consumed, the aiptasia will implode, destroying both itself and its planula. Any excess product left in the aquarium post treatment will decay naturally over time with no consequence to your inhabitants.

While aiptasia is a nasty pest that can quickly seem overwhelming, following these steps should get you on track to a healthy saltwater aquarium. We hope this Halloween now feels a little less spooky!

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