Aiptasia anemones (glass anemones) are known pests in the saltwater aquarium hobby, they can multiply fast and can be hard to get rid of once they take over your tank.
They are like aliens in a horror movie that will never die.
They hitchhike on live rocks and corals that you add to your tank environment.
I will provide you with a few methods to help rid your tank of Aiptasia and keep them under control.
First, I recommend using chemicals to kill as many as you can.
There are numerous products out there to kill these pests; I like using Joe's Juice, because I know it works! You will need to turn off all your power heads and pumps when applying.
It comes with a syringe and you will need to apply it directly to the Aiptasia, within seconds you will see the Aiptasia die.
You should try to kill as many large ones as you can, then kill the small ones.
It is hard to get all of them because they can hide in places where it is hard to reach, unless you move your live rocks around.
Then you will have to wait for them to open back up to kill them.
You probably won't get them all using this method, but you will reduce the numbers by a large amount.
Using marine inhabitants that eat Aiptasia is another option to controlling these pests and help get rid of the ones you cannot reach.
Peppermint Shrimps is a good choice to controlling these pests.
I recommend at least five for every 30 gallons of your aquarium.
You may have some Peppermint Shrimp that will not eat the Aiptasia, due to the fact they eat the food you are feeding your fish and corals, that is why it is good idea to get at least five for every 30 gallons.
The ones that are not getting enough food will eat the Aiptasia.
Copperband Butterflyfish will also eat Aiptasia, but your tank needs to be at least 75 Gallons to keep this fish.
They are beautiful fish and love to eat Aiptasia, but they may start targeting your Corals and also pick on the invertebrates in your tank.
So, approach using Copperband Butterflyfish with caution.
The best choice to rid your tank of Aiptasia anemones is Berghia Nudibranchs; their main source of food is the Aiptasia anemone and for this reason alone makes them an excellent choice.
The Berghia Nudibranchs is reef safe and will grow between 1 to 1.
5 inches.
They mostly feed at night as they are nocturnal hunters, their ability to crawl into small crevices and under rocks where it will be hard for a person or even other species to reach and eradicate the Aiptasia.
I recommend purchasing one for every 10 gallons.