# Help with ID please...



## Moners13 (May 4, 2010)

I am hoping someone with more experience can tell me what this is. 
I have a 30 gal. SW tank that I bought several months ago. It was an established (4yrs old) reef tank when I got it. Since then I have added corals and fish.
Recently we noticed this little critter growing on the rocks. There are 3 of these now and I am both curious and afraid of what they are. Can they harm my tank? Are they nusiance creatures? Or should I just let them be?
The centre circle is about the size of a dime. The 'tentacles' seem to retract and enlarge. Now that I know what I am looking for, I find them when they are rather tiny and they do grow quite fast.
Any help would be appreciated.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Hoo boy...you have aiptasia. Your best plan is to "zap/nuke" them ASAP w/Joe's Juice, Aiptasia-X, Kalk paste, lemon juice, vinegar or boiling water via syringe, otherwise they will grow out of control, think of danelions on a lawn, to the point of stinging back corals that they are growing near or grow to a population density that they will encroach towards coral colonies.

Sometimes a single "zap/nuke" session works but most of the time you have to do if a few times. While they are few, get on it ASAP or it'll be a PITA eradicating them down the road.

Alternatively, if you don't anything on hand and your schedule is a bit busy to get the stuff, hopefully you can take the rock out that they are on. In a well ventilated area, take a blowtorch, soldering iron (heat and wife off as much solder first), heat a nail w/lighter and fry the buggers. On a chemical route, make a bucket of NSW (new saltwater) or water after a water change and set it aside. You can put a few drops of bleach or household ammonia, sprinkle the granule form of Draino, in the affected area and let it sit for 5-10mins while they chemically fry. Then rinse well in the water set aside and put it back in the aquarium. Don;t worry about residuals as after rinsing, the small area affected and the volume of they system, it's not going to affect the system.

HTH


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## Moners13 (May 4, 2010)

Thank you so much for your quick response. I am fairly busy these days, but I am sure i can make some time to begin the zapping method. I will stop by Big Al's tomorrow after work and get something.

On the same note...where would it have come from? I guess I can just google the answer. But I have been reading the forums in here for a while now and the people here seem to be so friendly and knowledgeable. Just thought someone might have a simple answer that a 'noob' can understand.

Thanks again for your help and quick response.


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## mr_brixs (Jun 18, 2009)

i use aptasiaX...


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## Kovac (May 3, 2010)

Get a peppermint shrimp 

The first night i got mine, he ate them all (~12). 

Best of luck!


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

That's what we are here for .

I forgot to mention Peppermint Shrimp. Last week Ken @SUM (Sea U Marine) had a bunch...3for $45, IIRC.

Where do they come from? Of course on the live rock (slap me if you want )but just because one doesn't see it, it doesn't mean that they aren't there. They'll hide in the deepest darkest areas out of sight if the conditions aren't right, environmental, predatory, etc, and pop out when the "coast is clear". Barring that, they can hitch hike from introduced coral, liverock, macro algae, etc. In a nutshell, it's just part of the SW experience 

For example, I set up a 14gal BioCube w/cured LR from a LFS and dry substrate last year. The diversity of macroalgae that "just appeared" is just incredible and the client requested that we leave it that way. Aside from a few shrimps, snails and a fish, nothing was added...the aiptasia is just rampant...the client like that too. 

All I do is just prune back the macroalgae to keep it neat looking and pinch back the faster growing ones so it doesn't choke out the slower growing types.

HTH


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## Moners13 (May 4, 2010)

I went to Big Al's (Newmarket) last night and they didn't have any peppermint shrimp. They also suggested that as a quick natural fix. The next thing they said to try was Aiptasia X. But alas, they were out of stock. So we settled on a product called Aiptasia Control. One application when I got home and they were gone!! At least they appear to be. Perhaps they withdrew into the rock until saf to reappear? Time will tell I guess. But they sure shrivelled up and there was just a little mass of white fleshy looking stuff there about an hour after I applied. Some of the tangs seemed quite interested in picking at it too...as if they were trying to eat it.

As for where they came from...I assumed they just came in on the rock or corals. I am rather new to this SW experience (and loving it so far). No answer is to simple for me. I want to learn everything I can and my dream is to have a bigger more beautiful tank soon. I was just surprised to see them since the tank I have now was an established reef tank. The prior owner had it for 4 years and the in several times i went to see it before buying it, I never saw any Aiptasia. But as I am learning with SW, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. Marine life is so amazing the way it can lie dormant for months before making an appearance. Again, just another one of the wonderful miracles of the ocean.

On a different note...does anyone know where I can get a fully equipped/functional 75-90 gal SW tank? I have lots of live rock and livestock obviously. But a system with lights, sump, skimmer etc would be nice. I search the 'for sale' threads daily and will also post a 'wanted' ad. Just thought I would throw it in here as well. Perhaps someone reading this will have one, or is experienced enough to consider building one for me....for a price of course... ;-)


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

IMHO/E, it is rare to find a system for sale where "critical" equipment are of decent quality/performance, ie skimmer, lights, main/recirc pumps, etc

Don't get me wrong, who wouldn't want to save a few $$$ here and there. Personally I'm of the mind of buying what I want/need once (there's ALOT of crappy/redundant products out there) and don't have the time/patience of dealing w/BS of selling/warranty issues but it's your call on how you want to approach it .

A basic reef ready system (aquarium, stand/cabinet, sump, return pump) one can't really go wrong nor spend $$$ to upgrade but lighting and skimmers are another issue as it's not only a critical piece of the system as a whole but it's one of the most expensive.

Though one might find a "complete system" for a good deal, factor in the cost involved to what you have to upgrade to have the system suit your needs. Also keep in mind that you can sell off the equipment you want to upgrade to recoup upgrade costs as well as the time frame is selling it.

I do this for a living and have revamped many systems (thank you company "X") where literally I throw out everything, equipment wise, but the stand/cabinet, aquarium and canopy. In the end, the client have a system where it's to their dreams and no issues with equipment that I have to deal with on my time and dime. 

There is a sticky here with my personal product endorsement of the products I use and rarely, if at all, do I have a problem with them. If any arises, I/my clients get taken care of...though what I use is a bit more $$$, the difference in performance, peace of mind and customer service, one can't put a price on that 

HTH


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## Moners13 (May 4, 2010)

I didn't have any high hopes of finding a complete working system on here. But one never knows. I have seen a few...usually from people who are being forced out of the hobby due to space, time, moving etc. 

I knew the best way to go bigger is to build to my needs. But to be honest, I really don't know enough about the equipment and the plumbing etc etc etc. I know basics...but to try to match up all the correct parts would just be too stressful for me. 

If you were interested, I would love to discuss the idea of you building me a system. Or perhaps getting some names of others you know who are capable of such a project.

Let me know. Thanks.

Kevin


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## freddymp (Jan 15, 2010)

wtac said:


> That's what we are here for .
> I forgot to mention Peppermint Shrimp. Last week Ken @SUM (Sea U Marine) had a bunch...3for $45, IIRC.





Kovac said:


> Get a peppermint shrimp
> The first night i got mine, he ate them all (~12).
> Best of luck!


I am guessing these are Lysmata wurdemanni? What have your experiences been with this shrimps, whether they will harm critters such as tube worms? I have a few colorful ones growing out of my LR. I tend to feed my hermits once in a while to keep them happy. Thanks!


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Moners: Sry...been busy as heck. My recommendation is to drop by to see Ken @SUM. He'll take the time to go over your plan and help fine tune it. Also, you can check out all the better line of products that are out there and it's pretty much a one stop shop.

Freddy: yes, they are _L. wurdemanni_ and they do the aiptasia in . Unfortunately, they will at times predate on the smaller feather dusters (FD) that just "pop out of nowhere". Again, like having hermits, you have to give them something to eat to keep them from looking at the FDs as a food source but you run the risk of them not eating/controlling aiptasia.


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## freddymp (Jan 15, 2010)

Wilson,
Thanks, I was afraid of that... Some sources also cite that they may harass the Stomatellas as well, although the latter do breed readily. Hmm dilemma...


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