High Tide Aquatics

What is this?

Im not exactly sure what this black zoa looking thing is in the rocks. It just poped out of the cracks of the rocks after weeks and looks like it’s here to stay.

whatever it is.... is it harmful to my fish or coral?

randy
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aiptasia. It's pretty bad because they're hard to get rid of and will sting fish/coral but that's only a problem at plague proportions(if your nutrients get out of control).
 
I have aiptasia X if you want to try. It's basically a solid foam you spray over the aiptasia while still in water to prevent it from growing. If you're unable to remove the rock.
 
Do I have to remove the rock from the the tank to do this ? Do I just turkey baster it into the mouth ?
If you can remove the rock, this is the best course of action. Put it in a bucket with bleach/water outside and leave it for a few days. Rinse thoroughly, sun dry and put it back.
 
I can remove the rock it just has montipora growing on it at the top. The aptasia is lower down. I can’t use bleach because it would
Kill the beautiful montipora growing on the rock.
 
It is very unlikely that you only have only the 1 Aiptasia, they spread quickly and easily.

There are lots of ways to deal with them (because there is no single definitive way). For a single Aiptasia, take the rock out of the tank and chip off the little bit of rock under it if you can. They will regrow from the tiniest bit of remaining flesh.
 
Depending on the size of your tank and your inhabitants, you could go the biological route and get either peppermint shrimp, an aiptasia eating file fish, or berghia nudibranchs
 
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if its only one, you can bury it using reef putty. its like plato....but chance are more than one. It really common hitch hiker.
 
Aiptasia for sure
Worse than herpes and cockroaches!
If you don’t already have peppermint shrimp or copperband b/fly I would recommend scoring some berghia nudi”s.
 
There's never "only one" aiptasia. I have had repeated good luck with peppermint shrimp. If you get the right ones, they will clear a tank full of aiptsia overnight. Years ago, it was thought that only one species on the market - Lysmata wurdemanni - had an appetite for the wee nasties. I am not sure that is the current thought. Good things about them is they wont starve after cleaning out the aiptasia, they are cheap, and they are cute little buggers. I never saw one annoy any livestock.
 
There's never "only one" aiptasia. I have had repeated good luck with peppermint shrimp. If you get the right ones, they will clear a tank full of aiptsia overnight. Years ago, it was thought that only one species on the market - Lysmata wurdemanni - had an appetite for the wee nasties. I am not sure that is the current thought. Good things about them is they wont starve after cleaning out the aiptasia, they are cheap, and they are cute little buggers. I never saw one annoy any livestock.
I had one tear my duncan to shreds trying to get reef roids out of its mouth...
 
If you have one that size already you have many more that you just don't see yet. If you "pull it out of the rock" while it's in the tank you will have many, many more.
 
If you have one that size already you have many more that you just don't see yet. If you "pull it out of the rock" while it's in the tank you will have many, many more.
Yeah, it is like playing whack a mole. That is why I prefer the biological methods and let my shrimp eat them. I got a big one from my sump into my dt yesterday and I am counting the hours till it gets eaten.
 
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