Is this a safe way to remove pest anemones?

[Jewelle1954]

I have some pest anenomes in my saltwater tank and have a question. I know I can buy the stuff to kill them but being unemployed at this time is not something that's doable for me so I need to know if this is safe: most of them have long stems before the stinging tentacles and would be easy to snip off at the rock with scissors. If I do that, will it harm the other corals or fish in the aquarium? Thanks in advance,

Jewelle

 

[fastrd400]

It is safe, bit not effective, they will re-grow. See if you can make a friend at your LFS who will give you some kalk powder. Make a paste of it with some RO and try to inject the pests. If you don't have a syringe you can try an eye dropper and place a ball of the paste right on the mouth.

 

[Waddi]

I have done boil some lemon juice in a pan, then suck it up with a syringe and needle, then aim it right at the base of the nem, it killed the nem, but there were more so not sure if it grew back.
So i just got me a peppermint, he did the trick, and only 9 bucks too.

 

[Gdbyrd]

A guy on RC used a needle connected to a shop vac(he used a turkey baster to connect the two). He'd just touch the nem with the needle and the whole thing would get ripped off the rock. Sounds like an awesome strat to me.

I've tried lemon juice, boiling water, vinegar, and Aiptasia x. The nems disappear for about a week, then slowly come back. In the exact same places. I have just 1 in my tank that I can see. I've probably "killed" it 20 or 30 times but it always comes back.

 

[little_fish]

Gbyrd - that guy is probably squinching up in the rock to escape your attempts to kill him. I would try smothering the area ing kalk paste or trying super glueing him in his crevasse.

 

[Gdbyrd]

Gbyrd - that guy is probably squinching up in the rock to escape your attempts to kill him. I would try smothering the area ing kalk paste or trying super glueing him in his crevasse.

I've used up 5cc syringes covering the entire area and he still comes back. I've gotten 25g needles and injected the stalk with stuff too(very challenging, lol). I hadn't considered the superglue idea yet though, that's gotta work.

As it is now, I almost enjoy it. He's the villain in my aquarium, lol. As long as he doesn't spread anyway.

Ty for the suggestion.

 

[Mr.Diggler]

as it is now, i almost enjoy it. He's the villain in my aquarium, lol.

lol !

 

[Shane1]

I tried the turkey baster method today. Not sure if I got it but there was a ball of brown stuff that came out of the end of the baster when I emptied it out. If they come back again (which I'm sure they will) I'm going to try a Pepermint shrimp.

 

[Piratefish]

Hey Jewelle

Ive got some kalk powder I can send you. PM me. If you want.

 

[Smitty]

The hot lemon juice trick has worked for me several times in the past.

 

[Jewelle1954]

Hey Jewelle

Ive got some kalk powder I can send you. PM me. If you want.

Hi Piratefish!
Thanks for the info and your generous offer to send me some kalk. I couldn't PM you because I haven't reached my "quota" of posts in order to send PMs. Is it possible to inject the pests without taking the rocks out of the water? One of the rocks is huge and covered with soft corals so I'm not able to take it out of the tank. The smaller rocks are also covered with attached corals and knowing that the pests will recede into the rock as soon as I pick it up, will it hurt the corals to be out of the water for as long as it would take me to pinpoint where the pest is and then inject it? At any rate, from what I’ve read and the replies I got, it seems that the only sure way to kill them and keep them gone is using peppermint shrimp. There are 5 small pests and 3 larger ones and the small ones are VERY close to the corals, which is why I didn't notice them earlier. But for now, I'll try the kalk if possible. What do you think? I'll defer to your expertise. My email address is [email protected] if you want to use it to reply. Thanks again! Jewelle (Deb)

 

[Piratefish]

Hey Jewelle

You dont need to remove the rock from the tank. You will need a seringe, the smaller the better. You can get them from Tap Plastics for under $2.

If you are getting Peppermint shrimp get at least 3 or 4. They are hit and miss, although they did work for me.

I will be happy to send you the Kalk powder if you want. I dont need it. If you want it or the shrimp dont work email me [email protected]

 

[bjohanson1234]

The key to using the apstaisa X is to go slowly. If you moove too fast, the pest nem shrinks away and doesnt get the dosage. That goes for shooting it out of the little syringe also.

Let the nem wrap its tenticles around the tip of the syringe then ever so slowly push the plunger. It will end up getting a mouth full of the stuff.