Aiptasia?

[Limpit]

This just popped up in my tank yesterday.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/Limpit/aiptasi2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/Limpit/aiptasi.jpg
Sorry for the poor quality.
Does this look like Aiptasia to you?
What are your opinions on it, keep it or yank it out?
I know a lot of people say they are bad to have and will take over a tank.
If you have had them before how long did it take before they got out of control?
Lucky for me it is just on a small piece of rock and I can take the whole thing out easily.

[dakar]

Sure looks like it to me. So far we've only had one little aptasia and as a rule we try to nuke it right away, though I can say we've got a few patches of mojano the snuck in with huge chunk of paly's. We didn't nuke them right off for fear of nuking the corals.... mistake, they've now spread to a couple of other rocks :( Thanks for the reminder, think I'll got smoke them now.

Smart little buggers, they seem to know when you are coming and scrunch up and practially disappear.

My two cents worth; Don't waste any $$ on any aptasia remedy though.. mix up 3 TBL pickling lime to just enough water (a couple TSP), to make a thick paste, we use an old syringe (without the needle part) and cover them with the paste, next day they are gone. The paste will disolve off into usable calcium.

[ramoth41]

Yuppers looks like thats what ya got there!
Get him now while there is only the one other wise you'l have an infestation before you know it! Don't try to pull/scrub it off because you always end up leaving just enough of the foot behind and it just grows back! I've got several large ones in my tank now and have tried pretty much everything to get the suckers but nothing has worked... Even peppermint shrimp! They nibble at it but never enough to get rid of it!! Also the bubble coral and the torch coral the elegance ... touching the darn things ... still there
I've tried the hypo a few times, pickel paste is new have to try it! but mine seem to be smart too they just shrink down inside the rock and hide. About the only thing that has worked is just taking the rock out! Ron got so mad once he took a huge 6-7lb rock out and put it in the snow I'ts still out there made a nice focal point in the garden! Every now and then he cracks a piece off for frags to grow on! lol
Can you believe some LFS sell the things and tell the poor guy it's a curly q!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck!!
sarah

[Reptoreef]

get it out while it's controlable... I like the lime paste method(aka Joe's Juice).

[Reef_Angel]

I swear by the paste that Dakar mentioned (above)! It seeps down into the cracks and kills. It leaves a white coating over the top of the little nasty. Just brush that off with your finger the next full day to be on the safe side. It's effective. I have never hade one come back yet!! It's cheap, you can mix it up, keep it in a sealed container and use it when you need it. Just stir it up real good each time before you use it again. It goes a long way! By using a small needleless syringe, you can apply it right where you want it also....even if the little bugger disappears into the hole it lives in. Just shoot it in there!

mix up 3 TBL pickling lime to just enough water (a couple TSP), to make a thick paste

[Limpit]

Thanks for all your replies, now one more question.
Where do you get pickling lime?
Is it something used for canning or are you talking about the stuff they use in the dirt or is it something totally different than what I mentioned?
I am pulling the piece of rock out right away just to be on the safe side until I can buy the lime.

[dakar]

Yup.... may take some doing to track down as not everyone carries it for some reason (so I grab 4-5 cans each time in case it ever goes away... but normally found in the canning section, should be about $1.50 per can (1lb ??)

[Limpit]

I will try Fleet Farm for it.

[Reptoreef]

I get it in the concrete/cement area of Lowe's or Home Depot... "S" type pure lime.

[Limpit]

I wonder what on earth you use lime for in canning? I went to Fleet Farm and asked for pickling lime and they gave me that empty "I don't know" look on their face.
Repto, so the stuff you get at Home Depot is the same thing Dakar is talking about?
If so, then I am really wondering what you use it for in canning!
The search is on.
BTW, the piece of rock with the Aiptasia is sitting in a bucket now waiting to be pickled with lime.
I think I will do some pickling with lime my self only it will be with a Corona and Lime!

[Limpit]

Well I just found out what it is used for in canning. It is used to keep pickled vegetables firm or crisp.
Here is an article I found on Reefkeeping.com:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

[dakar]

I can always find it at a place called Woodmans in Madison... don't know if this is a retail chain or not.... maybe that will help?

[Limpit]

Pickling Lime is the same stuff as Kalkwasser powder isn't it?
(calcium hydroxide)
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/mrswages/mrswagpiclim.html

[dakar]

Same thing... Mrs Wages and Balls are the only two brands I know of... Balls is the only one available around us 'off the shelf', but they are the same.

[minireefer33]

sometimes they go back into there tube when scared .That makes a problem to inject them.I will let them feed al Little and when there tube is full they cant revert back into it.(last meal Ha Ha). :evil:

[Reef_Angel]

If you need pickling lime, you can get it right in the grocery store. Especially in the summer time when it's canning season. Look for the canning supplies and you will find it! WalMart is a great place to get it as well, also in the grocery section with all the canning goods & spices.

[ramoth41]

.. Balls is the only one available around us 'off the shelf', but they are the same.

Some how I find it rather funny that the stuff used to kill aptasia is called "Balls"! Makes ya wonder ........ ;)
sarah