What is This?

Hello all. Over the summer I just started to put some corals into my tank - this was about 1 year after I had started with fish and dry rock. I've tried to be careful with multiple dipping and also making sure everything goes through a QT process. I'm using the plug that the coral came on from the store - I guess I could have glued them onto a different plug first.

Just this past week I've started to notice some spider looking things. They sort of look like Zoas with long legs. I'm wondering what they are, should I be removing them, and if so what the best technique would be. Sorry for the photo quality - hopefully someone has seen this before and has some idea.

Thanks!

Looks like aptaisa or majano- I don’t know the difference. Read up on them; they can be gotten rid of but it’s not always so easy

aptaisa

The Aiptasia Eating Filefish is known to eat Aiptasia anemone in the home aquarium, but may also nip at soft and stony corals as well. The diet should include shaved shrimp, squid, scallop, mysis shrimp, freeze-dried krill soaked in a vitamin supplement, and frozen marine algae. A number of Butterfly fish are known to eat aiptasia. ... Some Butterflyfish species known to eat Aiptasia include: Klein's Butterflyfish Chaetodon kleinii. Raccoon Butterflyfish Chaetodon lunula.

If there is a lot of them I would consider Bergia nudibranches but personally wouldn’t get a fish or peppermint shrimp to try to get rid of them. If it’s just a couple, look into something like aiptasia x

Aptasia. If you do any additions and don’t quarantine in this hobby, you’re guaranteed to get them. peppermint shrimp and berghia nudibrachs are your best bet for eradication in my experience. The peps will keep them out as you bring new frags in too. I was able to get them all out of my sumps and frag tanks with peppermints, but the DT needed berghia. There is just too much rock in the DT. They’re expensive but worth it. I ended up trading coral for them, the fella is a NJRC member now, maybe he’ll offer some up soon.

DangerDave said:

Aptasia. If you do any additions and don’t quarantine in this hobby, you’re guaranteed to get them. peppermint shrimp and berghia nudibrachs are your best bet for eradication in my experience. The peps will keep them out as you bring new frags in too. I was able to get them all out of my sumps and frag tanks with peppermints, but the DT needed berghia. There is just too much rock in the DT. They’re expensive but worth it. I ended up trading coral for them, the fella is a NJRC member now, maybe he’ll offer some up soon.

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+1. I just added a peppermint and an aptasia-eating filefish for the same reason. Will report if he picks at any corals, but I really hope he doesn’t. He’s a very cool, interesting fish!

Great idea to trade corals for the berghia! We should have a dedicated NJRC member who runs an aptasia/Berghia tank to trade with members! Win/win!

I had the filefish as well. But past two weeks have not seen it

Romanhawk said:

+1. I just added a peppermint and an aptasia-eating filefish for the same reason. Will report if he picks at any corals, but I really hope he doesn’t. He’s a very cool, interesting fish!

Great idea to trade corals for the berghia! We should have a dedicated NJRC member who runs an aptasia/Berghia tank to trade with members! Win/win!

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Lmao, I gave away one of these. It was picking at my acans, the little jerk was a model citizen when it left my tank.

I just got a filefish last week to battle aptasia. Definitely a cool fish and hasn’t seemed to touch the aptasia yet but I’m not expecting him to go right for it.

Never tried filefish, but had good luck with peppermints. Just be careful, there's a couple of shrimps that are sold as "peppermints" and some of the others are less helpful in your tank..

Yes, that’s a good point. Stay away from camel shrimp! They look similar but will pick at coral.

APTASIA!
Best bet is this.
Pull all fish from the tank.
If any fish have aptasia on them, leave them in the tank.
If any of the fish have swam within 12 feet of the aptasia, leave them in the tank.
Empty tank of water.
Fill tank with gasoline.
Light it.
Fuel the fire for 3-4 days.
Refill tank with water, blessed Holy Saltwater if possible.
Wipe brow. Good job!
You now only have an 80% chance of it reappearing.

Seriously, they're part of the hobby. If you see one, you have loads.
Aptasia filefish may work (I have 2 in separate tanks, one eats away, one wont even look at it)
As mentioned, Peppermint shrimp are probably a 60/40 for removal, but camel shrimp seem useless.
Go with a bottle of Aptasia X (it'll last you quirte a while) and target kill the ones that are getting too big or in areas you dont want them. Easy to use and 100% effective on my end.
JMHO.

I had 20+ aiptasia at one point...injected the foot with vinegar or sodium bicarbonate and it kills them...also put in 4 peppermint shrimp. I only count 3 left.

There is at least 20 in your rock for every one you see. Look hard enough and you’ll always find more. The worst time I had them I found loads of them in a sump that didn’t even get light from the room, they were completely clear from lack of light.

DangerDave said:

There is at least 20 in your rock for every one you see. Look hard enough and you’ll always find more. The worst time I had them I found loads of them in a sump that didn’t even get light from the room, they were completely clear from lack of light.

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Dirty scoundrels! Get out of my tank!

Mark_C said:

APTASIA!
Best bet is this.
Pull all fish from the tank.
If any fish have aptasia on them, leave them in the tank.
If any of the fish have swam within 12 feet of the aptasia, leave them in the tank.
Empty tank of water.
Fill tank with gasoline.
Light it.
Fuel the fire for 3-4 days.
Refill tank with water, blessed Holy Saltwater if possible.
Wipe brow. Good job!
You now only have an 80% chance of it reappearing.

Seriously, they're part of the hobby. If you see one, you have loads.
Aptasia filefish may work (I have 2 in separate tanks, one eats away, one wont even look at it)
As mentioned, Peppermint shrimp are probably a 60/40 for removal, but camel shrimp seem useless.
Go with a bottle of Aptasia X (it'll last you quirte a while) and target kill the ones that are getting too big or in areas you dont want them. Easy to use and 100% effective on my end.
JMHO.

Click to expand...

Lmao

Surprised no one mentioned copper band butterflies
However Berghia verrucicornis are the best option as they are obligate consumers of aiptaisia. They can be expensive and a lot of fish can and will eat them. (That is why I am working on a breading tank).
things you need to know...
Even with Berghia, it can be nearly impossible to completely eradicate aiptaisia. There are just to many places for them to hide and they can reproduce by spore ejection when threatened as well as pedal laceration. Additionally, you can have a rock or plug with absolutely no signs of aiptaisia in a hospital tank for a month and they can still develop into mature reproducing little buggers. (This is because they only need a tiny piece smaller than you can see with traditional magnification of themselves to grow) However, they do exist in nature. Your goal may be eradication but control is all that is required and that’s not to difficult. Try and treat it like nitrates and phosphates. Nearly impossible to get rid of them. Goal is just to maintain them at healthy levels.
Best method is definitely a multi pronged attack. Everyone gave awesome advice. Apply it all. Get an aiptaisia eating fish. Get some Berghia and use aiptaisia X. You may completely remove them from your system (but they will probably return on something else as will some other pest). Just don’t beat yourself up. Pest are not a problem. They are simply a challenge. After all what determines what a pest is. Isn't it just something you don’t want. Takes the often feared hitchhiker the mantis shrimp. It is common for them to inadvertently get into a tank and people often trap and remove them. But truth is they are beautiful and many Reefers choose to keep them as a member of there reef. It’s a mater of opinion and choice.

Oh. And one last thing. When looking for Bergius. Be aware there is no such animal. Yes colloquially that is what Reefers call them but they were reclassified many years ago. They are actually called Aeolidiella stephanieae (but you will definitely find them still called Bergia) just didn’t want you to pass up a possible good deal because someone was selling Stephanie’s that eat aiptaisia and your like hey... you can’t trick me lol. Also don’t be tricked by other nudibranches. They are all obligate eaters. They others just eat other things.
Hope the info helps. Happy reefing Freind.

That’s the best write up I’ve seen on the topic. Well done, sir.

Aptasia. I noticed two, got a peppermint shrimp and they disappeared and haven't seen anymore.