Best Thing To Help Aptasia Issue In Fluval M90

[rob_cool1]

Hello all,

I have had aptasias in the tank for a little while but it has become a problem in the last few months and nothing i have currently tried has really helped the issue.

They have been growing in the back sump with some out of reach which i feel this isn't helping when i kill the ones in the main tank using Aptasia X.

I also have 2 peppermint shrimps however i don't think they eat them (i've never seen them anyway). I have also had an aptasia eating filefish, but it soon started reaching sexual maturity and from what i read they tend not to eat them then. (has since been moved on)

I use Aptasia X on a regular basis but when i use it one day, the following day there's ones in different places its a nightmare!

I am debating whether to get a couple more peppermint shrimps and putting them in the sump so they can eat them (i had one hide in the sump part all the time), i have opened each section top and bottom so they can freely move between each 'block'.

Any fish suggestions or anything else will be much appreciated, apart from the filefish i dont know what would be suitable for my tank as it's not the largest.

I currently have:
1 large female maroon clown
2 sunface damsels
1 black combtooth blenny
1 valentini puffer (I'm moving her on soon)

2 RTBA
some zoas
Hammer coral
bubble coral
mushrooms
leather coral
1 big blue hermit crab

Im planning once the valentini has gone to get some snails etc.

Thank you, sorry this is a bit long winded!!

Cheers
Rob

 

[jim_fitz]

Filefish is the only one I know eats them
And you have mentioned the two other options

In USA I know the use a laser type zapper
Don’t know how legal they are here

Aptasiax worked great for me

Better than the other two as the just seemed to enjoy the easier food I was putting in

 

[doug_amanda]

You could try and get hold of some berghia nudibranch, they eat nothing else other than aptasia, problem is when the aptasia has gone they will die from starvation.
If you’re dead set on not having another filefish then more peppermint shrimps may work,,
the trick is I believe is to only lightly feed your tank so there’s very little for the shrimp to scavenge on,they will then be more likely to eat the aptasia.

 

[hillie]

Is Jennybugs still on here? I believe she bought a "zapper" a couple of years back & may be able to advise?

We had an outbreak once and Ap,X sorted it out perfectly. It was gruesomely satisfying getting that needle in the middle of their mouths and watching them disintegrate!!

 

[fuzzyferret83]

Aptasiax is great but you have to be absolutely spot on with it otherwise they spread. The trick with peppermint shrimp is to add at least 3 together they then 'hunt' the aiptasia as a pack and are very effective.

 

[hillie]

I agree Fuzzy, if you don't get the needle right in the middle of the mouth then they release their spurs into the tank. It's quite an art.

We bought what we thought were peppermint shrimps and they did nothing but eat our corals.... until we realised that they were camel shrimps.... expensive mistake and an absolute nightmare to catch!

 

[rob_cool1]

Sorry for my late reply!

I am going to get another 2 or 3 peppermint shrimps, hopefully 4-5 wont be too many for the tank, one of mine goes in and out the back sump compartment so hopefully if i get some more they'll slowly get through them all.
When i remove the valentini puffer i will probably get another filefish (smaller than my original one) to help until the aptasia are under control.

I have started to feed the fish generally less food, some flake in the morning, I now only feed 2 cubes of frozen (down from 3) every evening or 2 or flake if i don't feed frozen.

They have gotten absolutely insane, they are everywhere again, in a matter of a week they've more than doubled. As well as this, as i am at work quite a lot means i don't have as much time as i probably need to spend on the tank to get it under control myself.

I have heard to get aptasia X to work properly you have to lower the salt level to about 1.21-1.22? mines at 1.25 and was told that maybe contributing to the aptasia x not being quite so productive.

Again thank you for your help, hopefully will get on top of this all soon!

Rob

 

[doug_amanda]

I would treat with caution the lower salinity thing for aip x to work properly, not saying it’s wrong but I’ve never heard it before and its unlikely your inverts would thank you for the lower salinity,
Never owned a puffer fish but it may be an idea to rehouse it before introducing the peppermint shrimp, they may end up as expensive fish food.
Can you remove any of the rock that has aptasia on it? A soldering iron works well at removing them but obviously needs doing out of the water.