Killing Aiptasia study- Part I

[tdwyatt]

This thread will be regarding a how-to and comparison of a few methods of chemically killing Aiptasia spp. of pest anemones and Anemonea cf. majano in existing reef systems with the goal of not disturbing the organisms we want to keep and have thrive, yet permanently ridding the system of the pests.

Aiptasia spp. are also known as glass or anemones, and usually are Aiptasia pallada or closely related A. pullchetta

There are a number of somewhat effective biological controls of these pest anemones. Butterflyfishes are quite fond of them, especially the black-banded butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus). These butterflyfish will eat them until they are no longer capable of regenerating a population in a closed system, a true cure so long as new rock or other accidental means of reintroducing them does not occur. The only issue using them becomes stopping their indiscriminate feeding on other polyps and/or corals in the system. This will work for systems that are considered FO (Fish-only) or FOWLR (fish-only-with-live-rock) systems where collateral damage is not an issue.

There is a predatory nudibranch that is effective in eating specifically Aiptasia spp. It is the Berghia verrucicornus nudibranch http://www.proaquatix.com/speciesdetail.asp?ID=44 , and it is an obligate feeder on Aiptasia spp.. As an Aiptasia control, it has a number of drawbacks, one being that once the initial population of anemones is gone, these Berghia will no longer have a food source and will starve to death. They require relatively slow water to remain adhered to the substrate, and although they do breed readily in captivity, they need a relatively large population to eradicate your Aiptasia problem as well as to maintain a breeding minimus in most reef systems where flow is high to start with. I imagine you could add them to a slow-moving tank one at a time to minimize losses to current and predation (or temporarily remove the predators, difficult to do especially in systems with wrasses), but for most reefkeepers, this solution is inadequate, ineffective, or impractical.

One of the better controls (note I didn't say eradicators) is the use of Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdimanii species specifically). These shrimp are quite fond of the Aiptasia, especially if they are kept in a system where fish feeding is kept to a minimum (q 3 day regimens or vegetarian feeding only). These omnivorous shrimp will eat Aiptasia spp. so long as they are not fed additional foods intended for fish. Most failure for these to control the Aiptasia is due to either such additional feeding or to lack of dark periods when most of these shrimp are active and prowl to feed in the tank. Pepps are effective controls for the tank if they are hungry and an adequate population of them is maintained in the system. It may require that you physically remove the large ones initially, but once established, the shrimp are effective and entertaining though shy during the day.

Remember normal precautions re: maintaining steady salinity and slow acclimatization for shrimp.

Anemonea cf. majano are not effectively controlled by either the Berghia nor the Peppermint shrimp, and can easily become a plague in older or consistently overfed systems. Fortunately they are readily consumed by the aforementioned Butterflyfishes as well as most Centropegye, Promocathus and Apolymichthys spp. of angelfish, however, the same caveat that applies to the Chaetodon spp. applies to all thee natural pest anemone predators: they just do not know the difference between the pests you want to rid the tank of and the coral polyps you want to keep.

There IS always physical removal of these pests, but this often is a case where the cure is worse than the initial problem. Physical removal is often difficult, as these anemone often will withdraw from physical stimuli and withdraw quickly back into the rock, where removal is all but impossible. Once this occurs, it may be up to 30 minutes before the anemone reappears. Many times if the anemone is adjacent to a number of specimens, they may all withdraw and stay gone for the full period of time. In addition full removal is very difficult, and often results in partial removal of the anemone such that the result is pedal laceration of the anemone. From each little piece of the foot that remains behind, a new anemone will arise... Sometimes physical removal is combined with peppermint shrimp stocking to insure good control, but more often than not, it results in infestation at plague levels in closed systems.

I have seen a lot of folk that use a number of substances to attempt to directly kill these pests: Boiling water, lemon juice, vinegar, kitchen lye, but all these have issues with each method. the obvious issue with boiling water is the potential for scalding as well as keeping the boiling water hot while treating the pest in question. Not only will the syringe application of boiling water quickly cool, especially when treating in a large (> 100 USG) system while getting the syringe to the point of treatment, but attempting to treat large systems would be quite impractical, not to mention where all that extra heat would be going... I have a hard enough time dealing with excess heat without adding more to the tank as boiling fresh water.

Lemon juice is actually effective so long as the specimens are small, but large ones run into problems. With small ones, the acidity (pH =2.0 for lemon juice) is concentrated in a small volume of the tank, and a small volume of lemon juice should denature the proteins of small anemones easily. However, with larger anemones, even with large volumes of acid it often leaves viable pieces of anemone behind, each capable of growing into new specimens of the pest. Due to the strength and pH of lemon juice, you will only be able to treat a small number of anemones, as even when diluted in the tank, the lemon juice will have n affect on the tank's pH, not to mention what potentially large amounts of this would do in terms of stimulating the bloom of pelagic and benthic bacteria. The same is true for vinegar. Stronger acids like muriatic, HCl, etc. are out of the question in terms of the safety issues and how they would affect system pH. I would feel the same when considering a strong caustic alkali like lye.

This leaves us with application of kalk paste (Ca(OH)2) to treat anemone infestations. There are several products on the market now as various expensive options (usually >$15 USD for 2 oz or less). Joe's juice and Aiptasia X are two such products. I intend to make a head to head comparison of these two products against kalk paste made from commonly available Mrs. Wages Pickling lime made into a slurry and administered topically to the anemones as opposed to direct injection. There will be a comparison of both immediate effectiveness as well as how effective these are at permanently eradicating both types on pest anemones. This will occur in an active stony reef system equipped with internal circulation devices (programmable Tunzes) and recirculation via a 3200 GPH sump system (Dolphin external pump from a 55 USG sump via a manifold system at the top and back of the rock stacks). I'll shoot pix of methods and results. There will be no controls short of untreated stands of the anemones, as my personal goal is just to rid the system of the infestations. If one product proves to be superior to the others in treating the tank, the trial will stop and all treatments will switch to whichever treatment is a clear-cut better choice.

I'll describe what we're doing in treatments, as well as posting links to info so others may duplicate the study.


Related links:
http://www.cababstractsplus.org/abst...No=20033205617

[Reeftanker3295]

wow what a cool thread! This should help alot of people, Thanks although i have never had an aiptasia problem, thanks for helping people out

[tdwyatt]

The great advantageof using this method is that even if o8u treat 1/4th of a 180 USG tank with 60 ml of kalkpaste, then all youve done lomgterm is increase the calcium content and an equal amount of alkalinity as the hydroxide converts carbonic acid (dissolved CO2) into alkalinity.

Ca(OH)2<---> Ca++ + 2OH- +CHOOH <---> Ca++ + HCO3- +HOH

Using 60 ml of kalkpaste at the right consistancy is about the equivalent of roughly adding around 3 gallons of saturated solution of kalkwasser, so expect to see some rise in your systemic pH (transient) if your're monitoring systemic pH. If you are running a calcium reactor, you may want to isolate the controller's effect on CO2 delivery or isolate it's pH probe by either turning off the controller during treatment or stopping the flow to the controller's probe (easy to do if you've built on of my probe holders for the Ca reactor).

Start by getting fresh (this season's) pickling lime. Ball's or Mrs. Wages should be at your favorite local Wally-World now (canning supplies). I prefer Mrs. Wage's as it has less residue after use:


To make the paste of the right consistancy, you'll need a stone mortar and pestle, a turkey injector syringe, a measuring spoon set, some RO/DI, and of course, some pickling lime. Glass mortars and pestles may break, as the hydration of lime with water is an exothermic reaction:


The turkey syringe injector is disassembleable and has a leur-loc tip for the "needle", it's made of plastic so it is unbreakable. You'll find these in the sporting goods section or wherever turkey deep fryers are sold:


The creatures we are speaking of have been well-described in the literature:

Aiptasia spp. circa July 2009-tdw

Anemonea cf. majano circa July 2009-tdw

[3FingersDown]

I've been to about 5 LFS's around my area (NY) and it seems like every one has Aiptasia in their tank's. Some are absolutely covered. Anyone else?

Anyway, great thread this should help out a lot of people. I just bought Aiptasia X for my tank, worked really well but also cost me $15.00.

[tdwyatt]

To actually make the paste, use a plastic measuring spoon and measure out 2 tablespoonsful of pickling lime and place in the mortar. Remember that this stuff can be caustic in mucous membranees (mouth, lungs, eyes, open wounds) and very irritating. Use a dust mask if you think you might suspend some of it in the air. If you spill any, immediately clean it up and wipe with both water and vinegar. If you get this in your eyes, rinse them with lots of tap water and see your health care provider immediately:


you'll need about 1/4th of a cup (45 ml or so) of RO/DI:


You'll need to very slowly and carefully add about a teaspoonful of water, maybe a little more, to the lime in the mortar while carefully triturating the powder. The goal is to make a paste about the consistancy of thin toothpaste, you may need to add a little more lime if it is too thin and runny:


If the paste clings in short drips to the pestle because most of it drips off within a few secondse, then the consistancy is right. Not too thick so it can be pushed through the syringe and needle, but not so thin that it runs into the tank and dissolves when injected onto the anemones:

[tdwyatt]

Once the consistency is right, it is time to fill the syringe. Remove The syringe from the packaging check it to make sure there are no defects (that it will hold water and that it will squirt the same) and set it aside. Take a clean, dry, tall glass and line it with an open baggie with a zip-lock top. It will help to push the locking portion outside the glass and down the side to prevent fouling of the zipping mechanism:


Put your paste into one corner of the bag using a plastic or silicone spatula. Note kitchen shears:


What you are shooting for:


Remove the plunger from the barrel of the syringe. Most of the better ones of these devices can be disassembled by unscrewing a locking device on the plunger end of the barrel:


At this time, attach the "needle." Many of these will have a leur-loc device that will require you to twist the "needle" into place to get it to lock. Please also note that these "needles" are not hypodermic devices, rather are blunt tips with lumen openings on the side of the "needle."
This will not work for our purposes, but can be remedied by grasping the opening in the needle with a wire cutter and breaking off the tip (pix later). Be careful to break the needle rather than trying to cut it, as cutting it may collapse the lumen of the "needle." This might be easier to do at this point in a vice rather than attached to the barrel of the syringe.

[fihsboy]

HA! this is how I do it! Makes me feel good that its the right way.

[tdwyatt]

Now that you've assembled the syringe barrel and needle, place it in the glass with the needle down, open end to the top:


With the syringe in this position, take your ziplock bag, press the air out, and zip it shut. It may help to do this if you will partially close the bag then press our the air, THEN SEAL IT SHUT. Take the kitchen shears and cut off a 0.5 mm tip of the corner with the kalkpaste.


Twist the top of the ziplock like you would a pastry bag. As the kalk begins to come out, fill the syringe, taking advantage of the slant in the syringe in the glass to fill from the bottom up with no bubbles if possible.


If you DO get a bubble, gently tap the side of the syringe until the bubble shifts out:


Fill until you either run out of paste or get up to the 60ml (2 oz on some barrels) mark. If you overfill the barrel, it will be difficult to close or you'll push out the excess through the needle as you reassemble the plunger into the barrel of the syringe:

[tdwyatt]

Now that you've filled the barrel with kalkpaste, there are just a few more items needing attention. We need to insert the plunger and screw the lock onto the open barrel end:


You're almost ready. If you'll notice, many brands of these needles will not shoot the kalk out the end, rather they shoot it out the sides through two side bevel openings in the "needle:"


This would make treating the anemones very difficult; however, the fix is relatively easy. Grasp the needle in the middle of the openings and very carefully break the needle with a pair of wire cutters. Cutting the needle will most often crush the lumen of the needle, occluding it to the kalk paste and making it useless for our purposes. By breaking the needle perpendicular to the needle material, you will leave a blunt open tip at the end we can use:



Now you are ready to check your grip length for the syringe hand. Make sure that the full syringe is not too long for you to comfortably use in the tank, as you may end up in a few awkward positions. If there is too much in the syringe, simply squirt the excess into the bag and use it later (same session only!). Make sure you have a comfortable grip, especially if the tank is deep or hard to reach from the top:


If you’re ready with the kalk, pick out where you want to treat and have your stepladder ready, then turn off the circulation in the tank. If you have a flow-controlled circulation system in the tank, don't forget to pause them as well. With a Tunze controller, it is very easy just to push the food timer, you should be finished within that period of time:


You’re ready to start now. When finished, make sure to flush out the kalk paste immediately after finishing if you intend to use the syringe again. The kalk left in the syringe and needle will set like concrete (ask me how I know this). It helps to have some florist’s wire to clean out the leur loc and the needle lumen while using lots of COLD water (remember that calcium salts are much more soluble in cold water than in hot water). I also soak the equipment in white vinegar to really remove any leftover calcium residues.


Results as I get the time to process the pix and write a summary. Great initial results.

I’d like to thank my daughter, Lindsay for helping me do this little demo, she very patiently put up with me and helped doing the initial treatments. Without her, there would be no pix of either of us. Many, many thanks~!

[scoop]

Tom, I made my kalk paste a little thicker and actually brushed it over the polyps w/ a small paintbrush. I totally covered them when they were receded. The kalk paste stayed on the rock for about a month before it finally wore off, but the aiptasia were gone. I did this about 6 months ago and they have not reappeared.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by scoop

Tom, I made my kalk paste a little thicker and actually brushed it over the polyps w/ a small paintbrush. I totally covered them when they were receded. The kalk paste stayed on the rock for about a month before it finally wore off, but the aiptasia were gone. I did this about 6 months ago and they have not reappeared.

That is pretty much the effect that I am going for, but the kalk does not stay for more than a few days, if that once the recirc comes back on. The goal for me is to treat the tank without having any untoward or visible effects, i.e., do no harm (except to those pest anemone scum...) and not to disturb the rock or my established coral.

[scubaBB1]

My tank wasn't overrun, I just had one big fat hitchhiker. I read most everything in here about how to get rid of it. My Peppermint wasn't interested so I took matters into my own hands. I 'bothered' him until he was all sucked back into its rock and then injected him with about .1 ML of rice vinegar. Next thing I knew, my Peppermint was feasting on pickled Aiptasia. Voila, it's gone. Now I just have to pray that the vinegar doesn't hurt the Peppermint. It can't be feeling too badly, he's back cleaning out the hole.
Who knew?!

[tdwyatt]

Great results so far, but it also made me see what parts of the tank really have issues with these creatures and just how big they can get if located in an out-of-the-wy corner of the tank.

Pix and initial summary tomorrow.

[Dagrape]

AWESOME, I am going on a killing spree tonight. I tried this once before but I made the mistake of making it to thin. I was worried about side affects. I can't wait to try this paste!

[fihsboy]

Pickling lime is the best! Great post! I like using it as well. Just have to be careful to not kill too much with this stuff. Like he said, it can raise your ph rather quickly in a small system.