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DANGER WILL ROBINSON!

Mark_C

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Found a bottle of Aptasia-X and went hunting.

Found 3 of the %^$%#^s that were big enough to grab the needle.
Unfortunately there are about 8 small ones that are totally out of reach in the sump.

May have to buy some foam and put it between the skimmer and return sections then grab half a dozen peppermint shrimp.
I have a free chamber in there that I'll drop some sand into and make a fuge area for them to chill in and drink beer.
 

ecam

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Nudibranch ( no wrasses ) or file fish specifically from ORA guArnteed to eat them.
 

MadReefer

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My file fish are the small ones. Larger ones I basted with lemon juice and they shrunk. Then the file fish had a nice meal.
 

ecam

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The cool part about the file fish that I’ve noticed is they leave a surrogate around just to make sure they have a supply. I had a wall full. They ate everything but one and that one is still their. Lol
 

Mark_C

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I have 2 large files in my display, so not too worried.

My sump, now that I'm digging around in it, is infested.
Cant get a file in there, going to go the fuge with peppermint route and hope they wander the sump looking for food.
 
Aptasia X is absolute garbage. I've used it now on the same aptasia probably 3 or 4 times
Whet with a Filefish.......NOPE
Peppermints...........NOPE(they didn't make it through the night till the wrasse had their way with them)
Eventually I'll try Nudibranchs, but I expect the wrasse will enjoy them too.

As far as in concerned there is far worst that could be in the tank.
 
You guys are brave for using aptasia x in the tank all that does is make them spread. I have a couple in my tank I just leave them alone they haven't spread and it's been months. I do have a couple peppermint shrimp that might be eating the babies. I would like a file fish i just worry it will eat my coral.
 

Mark_C

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Followed the directions and waited till it took the syringe in, then blasted it/them. It let the syring go and I continued basting until the entire thing was covered.
Now I have 3 small nubs in lieu. Although, as Dave mentioned, I'm sure theres 100 more about.

Also, fyi, I have 2 files in my tank. One raised from practically fry, one was a young'un.
Both are now 3-4", are the most personable fish in my tank (aside from the algae blennie), are fascinating to watch them color change to environment, and neither has ever nipped a coral.
Arguably the most pleasant fish I've owned.
 
I had a fair amount of aptasia in my display for some time and tried hard to get rid of them with aptasia X and kalwasser but ultimately I got 3 peppermint shrimp and all the aptasia disappeared in a week. Then I had a ton of fun catching the shrimp and tossing them in the sump. That was a couple months ago and so far so good. As soon as I see any more aptasia I'll toss a shrimp back up to get to work again. They have bred a couple times in the sump and it's pretty cool seeing all the baby shrimp swim up to the refugium light.

Good luck with the war!
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Aptasia X is absolute garbage. I've used it now on the same aptasia probably 3 or 4 times
Whet with a Filefish.......NOPE
Peppermints...........NOPE(they didn't make it through the night till the wrasse had their way with them)
Eventually I'll try Nudibranchs, but I expect the wrasse will enjoy them too.

As far as in concerned there is far worst that could be in the tank.
True
 

Mark_C

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Thanks folks. WIll drop peppermints in sump, rely on files in main, avoid Aptasia-X for the moment (though it seems to have decimated the 3 I hit), and I'll see where this goes.]
 
My experience with aptaisia-X was a little different. I found it absolutely killed what I put it on. However. In some cases. I failed and did not manage to completely cover the bugger every time. When that happens they make babies. Lots of babies! Also you just can’t get to all of them. To many places you can’t see or reach. So I used a two prong approach. I also employed a file fish (wonderfully fascinating fish) the Aptasia-X took care of the big ones that the file fish couldn’t eat in one bite. And the fish took care of the rest. Worked wonderfully. Occasionally I still see an Aptaisia but generally in a day or two. It’s gone. Best of luck @Mark_C But if your file fish eats them. It may not totally Eradicate Them. But it will keep them under control. And if you can reach the occasional big one with Aptasia-X. Go ahead and help the fish do his job worst case is you miss and it makes babies. But the fish are better at eating baby ones.
 
Speaking of Filefish, look what I found this morning. Sleeping on the job
20200328_070230.jpg
@ecam
I'll probably just learn to live with them. Those tiny things from ORA wouldn't make it 10 min in my system, between the wrasse, tangs, and flow.
 
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