Seeding a tank with live rock... aptasia

Alenyc22 · 05/19/2019, 08:05 AM

I am setting my tank back up after a year or so and i have a bunch of old live rock that i just bleached. I was also given a piece of live rock from my local LFS to “seed” my tank. Once i put that piece of rock in i come to notice about 3 aptasia on that rock. What should i do? Its been in there for about a week now.

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RCKY · 05/19/2019, 12:38 PM

I have eradicated aptasia a couple times using the first two methods.
#1 You can inject larger ones with liquid calcium supplement. Knocks them out fast. You can get syringes from Walgreens by asking at pharmacy. Be aware this raises the calcium level in your tank.
#2 Peppermint shrimp have worked for me. I find the wild caught ones shipped from live rock providers in Florida seem more apt to eat aptasia.
#3 I know berghia nudibranches work but they are a bit pricey and then they starve to death.

outssider · 05/19/2019, 04:32 PM

If they're on that one rock...take it out...bleach it, dry it and use it at a later date. Re seed with a rock you know has no aptasia or seed with some sand from an established tank.

Uncle99 · 05/19/2019, 05:48 PM

Yup, remove it, aptasia is a nasty pest!

mcgyvr · 05/20/2019, 04:35 AM

Pull the rock and hit those things with a lighter to torch them.. Put the rock right back in the tank after..

allendehl · 05/20/2019, 12:59 PM

Boil them with a syringe and hot water. Get close enough and shoot it on the heart!...I've never seen one of those again.

05/20/2019, 04:35 AM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Pull the rock and hit those things with a lighter to torch them.. Put the rock right back in the tank after.. __________________ Who me?

05/20/2019, 12:59 PM	#6
allendehl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 692	Boil them with a syringe and hot water. Get close enough and shoot it on the heart!...I've never seen one of those again. __________________ [Newbie here so please take my opinions carefully] Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 350 (72G) \| Jebao DCT 4000 (1056 GPH Max) \| Reef Octopus 152-S \| 2 X Jebao PP8 (2100 GPH Max)

05/19/2019, 08:05 AM	#1
Alenyc22 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 12	Seeding a tank with live rock... aptasia I am setting my tank back up after a year or so and i have a bunch of old live rock that i just bleached. I was also given a piece of live rock from my local LFS to “seed” my tank. Once i put that piece of rock in i come to notice about 3 aptasia on that rock. What should i do? Its been in there for about a week now. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

05/19/2019, 12:38 PM	#2
RCKY Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 95	aptasia removal I have eradicated aptasia a couple times using the first two methods. #1 You can inject larger ones with liquid calcium supplement. Knocks them out fast. You can get syringes from Walgreens by asking at pharmacy. Be aware this raises the calcium level in your tank. #2 Peppermint shrimp have worked for me. I find the wild caught ones shipped from live rock providers in Florida seem more apt to eat aptasia. #3 I know berghia nudibranches work but they are a bit pricey and then they starve to death.

05/19/2019, 04:32 PM	#3
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	If they're on that one rock...take it out...bleach it, dry it and use it at a later date. Re seed with a rock you know has no aptasia or seed with some sand from an established tank. __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

05/19/2019, 05:48 PM	#4
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Yup, remove it, aptasia is a nasty pest!