Aptasia control

[Zoohead]

I have a few Aptasia in my tank, well actually I have ALOT. Started out as just one in a spot where I could have gotten it. Needless to say I am lazy didn't take of it and 2 months later they are everywhere.
So I do a little research on interweb and see that Racoonface, and Foxfaces are supposed to feast on these things. Also read that certain sp of peppermint supposed to help with em. I have also read that there are a few chemical alternatives. Im really not into putting any chems/medications if I do not have to. I have talked to a few people and and they have used Kalk paste or lemon juice with mixed results. I worry that kalk might spike my ph and have no idea what lemon juice will do to my water quality. I decide I would rather approach this from a natural standpoint.
So I get Racoonface and A peppermint shrimp and hope for best. A month goes by and peppermint is nowhere to be found(think aptasia might have ate him,they are big) and the foxface and decided that he doesn’t want to eat at all so I return him to store where I got him. There are twice as many of these bastards and they are EVERYWHERE!!
So I go back to old reliable and decide to talk to Gerwin and ask what he would recommend. He says buy 4-5 peppermint and recommends and a Klein Butterfly. Was defiantly worried about the Butterfly in a tank full of SPS but at this point I’m desperate.
I get home, acclimate the Klein and the shrimp, and let em go. I’m hoping that they will hit the tank like a fat man at all you can eat buffet. Nothing. Next day (Saturday) I wake up and check my tank like I do most mornings and the damn butterfly is picking at my SPS. I’m thinking that first thing Tuesday Im bringing him back to store. Sunday I wake up and head to a friend’s house to watch Saints game, WHO DAT BABY!!!, never really looked at tank before I left. I get back home and sit on couch and try to relax after stressful Saints game and just happen to look over at tank, THEY ARE ALL GONE!!, not a single aptasia in tank anywhere. I have to call wife and have her look to see if she sees any and NOPE ALL gone. All i can say is THANK YOU GERWIN.

P.S When can I bring this worthless fish back he is picking at my corals?

[jimbob21123]

so far i have only had 4 aptasia show up in my tank and i just put some boiling water in a syringe and squirt a little directly on it and no more aptasia . but guess that would be kinda hard if it was a pretty big outbreak.

[Sandy]

I have used the hot water method before and it has worked for me. I also have bought peppermint shrimp. I never see them unless I sit and look at my tank with a flashlight late at night after the lights have been off for awhile. To my surprise they are there. I thought they had died.

[Redfish]

I tried the Kline Butterfly route and lets just say that was a disaster and leave it at that. The Pepermint Shrimp route worked really good for and still does. I still use the Aptasia X about once a month, but I was using a bottle every 10 days or so before the P. Shrimp. IMO the P. Shrimp is the way to go.

[Gerwin]

now Pat, I recall telling you the Klein may be a issue and others have had problems and some have not...as you can see Redfish is one who had! But you were willing to take the chance and congrats on the fine work it has done. The Klein has worked for me when needed every time, the Peppermint shrimp hit and miss, on large outbreaks usually a miss, a few not so bad. I get the feeling the shrimp will eat them if they are hungry and nothing better is around, but the Klein...he has a taste for them for the most part.

Bring him back when you are sure they are gone, I had another customer who also had great luck and brought his back.....few months later Apstasia coming back.