Aiptasia gone?

[Tyekidd]

So I'm pretty much a noob to reef systems ... and I set the 12g nanocube I got for my bday up about 2 months ago. I finally put a peppermint shrimp in there to get rid of one large and 3-4 small aiptasia ... and it did the trick in just 2-3 days!

I really only got the pep to get rid of the aiptasia ... I'm not a huge fan of peps and I heard it could potentially start munchin on corals once I start stocking. So my question now is ... is the aiptasia gone for good or do I need to keep the peppermint around?

thanks!

 

[A_Lee]

I suppose it couldn't hurt to keep the peppermint in the tank for a bit longer to try and ensure it picks off any possible remaining aiptasia. There is always the possibility of having one in some nook or cranny somewhere in the back of the tank. Then again, if you are confident the peppermint did its job, I would just go ahead and take it out.

 

[sfsuphysics]

IMO, the aiptasia isn't gone for good, they will control aiptasia, by ripping and eating it, however if a little bit of the base is still around (which it very well probably is) then it will grow a new stalk.

 

[Vincerama2]

Aiptasia is never gone. You can go to a nuclear test site, dig up a melted saltwater tank, put some sulphuric acid into the molten tank and aiptasia will show up.

Where did you get the pep from?

V

 

[Tyekidd]

I believe the place is called Lucky Ocean on Balboa and 2nd in San Francisco. I've been going there for a couple weeks now as I get my tank started ... because they seem knowledgeable and friendly.

Much better than risking buying anything from the store on Clement and 6th avenue =P

The peppermint is practically a full grown female that had eggs on her at the time of purchase. Don't know if she's still carrying them or not ...

As far as inverts go ... I wanted to keep some Sexy shrimp and a porcelain crab ... maybe try my luck at a pom pom crab as well ... the peppermint was never on my want list - just a necessity to get rid of those nasty aiptasia =P