Reef Discussion

[mscott]

Hey guys, I've just noticed that my leather coral has some aphista growing out of its stalk?? so am wondering about the best way to save a bit of it, The head isnt affected just the lower parts of the stalk.
Should i just cut the whole head off and get it attached to something, or should i try something else??
cheers

 

[MagicJ]

Can't you just kill off the aiptasia?

 

[mscott]

I could, but I'm worried that I'd probly do more damage than is repairable to the coral.

 

[MagicJ]

I think we need a photo to see what the problem is.

 

[mscott]

IF I can I will, problem being a crappy camera and tiny apistia, but we shall see

 

[Dr. Schell]

if you have aptasia in your tank, a longer term solution would to obtain a preditor of the aptasia. Pepermint shrimp are generalist feeders although they do tend to target aptasia. Once they have eaten the aptasia, they will act as part of your clean-up crew. Worth their weight in gold.

 

[mscott]

Yea i have a few of them in there, but they only get the apistia thats in the shadows of the rockwork, they never come out because the clowns try to eat them/get agressive

 

[Dr. Schell]

pepermint shrimp are nocturnal. They should come out at night to feed on aptasia. If you can inject the aptasia with lemon juice (using a syringe) this will immediately kill them

 

[Dr. Schell]

white vinigar also works well

 

[mscott]

thats what im doing :), but thats also what worries me about injecting near the leather, will it damage it or what??

 

[Dr. Schell]

will only damage the leather if it get injected

 

[Agent M]

Its kind of like weeding the garden, you've just gotta keep at it and eventually you'll be weed free. Sounds like you are doing a good job :) I don't remember seeing any Aiptasia when I saw your tank, I need to be more observant!

Re: Sarcophyton propagation. You'll need some stainless steel scissors... do you have any by any chance? He he ;)
This is one of my favourite videos from the Tidal Gardens series:

 

[mscott]

yea, you didn't see any coz i "weeded" the day before haha, I've got most of it, but the stacking of the rocks makes it hard to get all of it.
Oh BTW, the xenia head attached realy well, is now probly the main focus of the tank.

 

[Agent M]

Well the tank looked great - just think, every time you eradicate one, you have prevented many.

Good to hear about the Xenia! Soon you'll be propping your own. I noticed a tiny Xenia growing on a cable tie yesterday - they are amazing!

 

[mscott]

yea, i love the things, somewhat wierd but still quite cool nonetheless.

 

[mscott]

Well, i injected the apistia with a little cocktail of lemon juice and vinegar, so we shall see how it goes, as they were still quite small i reckon they may have been behind the leathers not so good looking apearance.
cheers

 

[Dr. Schell]

good luck!

 

[mscott]

cheers, it seams to look the same as it did before i attacked the apistia, so hopefully it means its going to be alright, but we shall see

 

[Dr. Schell]

if the leather has been affected, its polyps will be withdrawn and an "acid" burn will be apparent where it has been injected

 

[mscott]

well then, looks like i didn't get him, but the big question, did i get them