Anemone Spreading, Help!

AVDweeb

AVDweeb

New member
Hi All,

I have a problem. My tank had a single RTA and it is spreading like none other. It looks like there's some twenty little RTA's that are popping up, and it's clearly getting out of control. I really like have the one nem, but I'm not a fan of them taking over my tank.

I understand that this is most likely my fault, as my tank isn't in the best shape right now (long story), but I'm curious if anyone has an idea of what to do with them. Do I just clean house on them, sell them, move them, etc. Thoughts would be appreciated.

Here's some pics:

Ojvhnl.jpg

TPmQ3l.jpg
 
That isn't your rbta splitting; I think you've got majano anemones spreading in your tank. They will take over if you don't get rid of them.
 
trackfast said:
That isn't your rbta splitting; I think you've got majano anemones spreading in your tank. They will take over if you don't get rid of them.
Click to expand...

I googled them and yeah, looks similar. Well, time to intervene. Sorry little guys, but you gotta go!
 
Russ,
If the lower picture is of the anemones you have "spreading" around your tank, I must inform you that your RBTA is in fact not "spreading". What you are seeing in your tank are Aiptasia anemones which are "pest" anemones capable of reaching plague levels if not attended to in a timely fashion.
There are a few ways to deal with them but the most common are either adding peppermint shrimps to your tank or inserting kalkwasser or lime juice straight into the "mouth" of the anemone.
 
They might come back for a little while so you will have to keep killing them. There will be "spores" cycling around your tank.
 
I killed 3 heads in my tank with some kalk and diabetic syring to inject. I think 10 syringes at walgreens was 3-4$. If you lived closer I'd just give you a couple syrings and a scoop of kalk, doesn't take much and it they die almost instantly from my experience.
 
So these spores are everywhere right now (there's gotta be a hundred of them). Will all of them turn into the majanos, or are some of them potentially die off as well?
 
Russ, the picture you posted is not Majano but rather Aiptasia.

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/130949-aiptasia-and-majano-anemones/

Aiptasia can be controlled naturally by the introduction of peppermint shrimp as I mentioned earlier. That is not the case with regards to Majanos.
I have had Aiptasia in the past and in all cases peppermints have taken care of them for me.
Keep in mind however that peppermints will not eat the monster sized aiptasia so you will need to kalk those.
For the record, I have never seen Aiptasia in my take again unless it was a hitchhiker on a frag I purchased, in which case it never lasted very long.
 
fishpoop said:
Russ, the picture you posted is not Majano but rather Aiptasia.

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/130949-aiptasia-and-majano-anemones/

Aiptasia can be controlled naturally by the introduction of peppermint shrimp as I mentioned earlier. I have had Aiptasia in the past and in all cases peppermints have taken care of them for me.
Keep in mind however that peppermints will not eat the monster sized aiptasia so you will need to kalk those.
For the record, I have never seen Aiptasia in my take again unless it was a hitchhiker on a frag I purchased, in which case it never lasted very long.
Click to expand...

Huh. And they'll even kill off the spores?
 
I am not familiar with the spores that others have mentioned. I can only tell you that I have never had any recurrence of Aiptasia once the peppermints had eaten them.
 
no, but once the baby takes root, and comes up for light, they will get eaten. creating a lil biotope like we are all trying todo. gotta get the big ones taken care of first.
 
Another question. I'm thinking about tearing down this tank and building up my dream tank (this tank is my first, and it's a hodgepodge). Once I got the problem under control would I be able to sell the rock without worry, or can I sell it with a clean conscience?
 
explain clean conscience? aptasia is part of the game. any true liverock is gonna have something that is going to flourish in the display tank, and is a nuisance. anyone looking at the stuff in your tank is going to see them alive.

put the rock in your dream tank, no need to re-buy rock.
 
In addition to peps eating Aiptasia. Copperbanded butterflys and Klein butterflys also munch them. As do green file fish (the best aiptasia eater IMO) But keep a close eye on your other stuff as they may resort to eating desireable critters.
 
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