Aiptasia sp. anemones, also referred to as rock or glass anemones can be a real scourge on any marine tank. They multiply like rabbits, damage or kill other marine inhabitants, and are difficult to get rid of. Intense lighting is one reason these hardy pests to do so well in a captive environment. They also multiply significantly in aquariums with poor water quality and tanks that are over fed. If these anemones are not removed or destroyed, they will overrun an aquarium in a very short period of time. You cannot just pull or scrape them off because any little piece that is left behind will just re-grow. So what do you do?
BLUE LIFE makes a product called Aiptasia Control that really works unlike Joes Juice.  Kill the big ones and use shrimp for the little ones. NOW AVAILABLE is an aiptasia eating filefish.  I'm not sure how reef safe but they have a good "reef attitude".

Brown Acoel flatworms with a
Chelidonura varians
 nudibranch

OUR LATEST RESEARCH ON FLATWORM ERADICATION
Sailfert - the company that makes great test kits - has come out with FLATWORM EXIT. We have tested it in our main coral tanks and it works great. There are comprehensive directions in each bottle. One bottle treats 300 gallons at the rate of 1 drop per gallon (we often double the dose) and run the Exit several hours to overnight. Be prepared to change large amounts of water, run carbon, and empty your skimmer.  Also use Exit as a dip when you bring in new corals. We have it in stock.  Do not under treat or shorten the treatment time because if some survive they will have built an immunity and subsequent treatments will not work.  It has been reported that copepods and acropora crabs sometimes die when flatworm exit is used.
BLUE LIFE - that makes Aiptasia Control, Red Slime Remover and Phosphate Control make a flat worm medication.  We have tested it and it works.  Stick with EXIT if you can

There is a white flatworm that is harmless - it's the brown ones that are bad news.

Acoel flatworms are harmless but can quickly multiply into plague numbers and can completely cover a coral - starving it of light. They can be siphoned off with relative ease when in large numbers. If they do cover a coral you can give the coral a 5 second BETADINE dip. Detritus and other nutrients are flatworms main food source. Don't over feed and use Liquid Gravel Vac by Tropical Science to eliminate sediment buildup.

   It has been reported that a Chelidonura varians, a nudibranch - sometimes called a velvet nudibranch, will eat them. They are black with two cobalt blue stripes running longitudinally. They are impossible to find so don't waste your time.

Asterina wega

PSUDOCOLOCHIRUS VIOLACEUS / VIOLET SEA APPLE
PSUDOCOLOCHIRUS AXIOLOGUS / COMMON SEA APPLE
PSUDOCOLOCHIRUS TRICOLOR / TRICOLOR SEA APPLE
 There are also worm-like cucumbers called Medusa worms. These legless sea cucumbers are members of the family Synaptidae (Order: Apodida). They all look quite similar with soft and flaccid bodies with rounded knobs. They project their tentacles directly into the substrate to collect organic coated particles. They are relatively nontoxic when compared to  the Sea Apple BUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED SAFE. The most common genera are Euapta, Synapta and Synaptula from the Indo Pacific. Those from the Caribbean are usually Euapta lappa or Synaptula hydriformis.

SEA APPLES

 The Sea Apple is a beautiful somewhat anemone-shaped cucumber, and has rows of tube feet along the vertical length of the body. Its head area has a ring of feathery tentacles, which it uses for collecting phytoplankton.  They range in size up to about 6 inches (15 cm), and when they find a spot to their liking, may remain there for years.
 THEY ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC AND DO NOT HAVE TO DIE TO POISON A TANK .

MEDUSA WORMS

EUAPTA LAPPA / BEADED WORM CUCUMBER
EUAPTA GODEFFROYI / GODEFFROYS WORM CUCUMBER

This is one to watch out for.  They are extremely hard to kill.  "Joe's Juice" fails completely (for aptasia too).  AIPTASI CONTROL by Blue Life works great.  Just follow directions.  We have this for sale in our shop.    One customer has reported that Heniochus (bannerfish) will eat these pests - but be aware they are not safe for other corals.

Below is a POLYCHAETE worm--specifically a spaghetti worm . The
tentacles are used for feeding... It's a surface feeder and can
live in tubes or under rocks. It's entirely reef safe, and it might
even be considered beneficial. Spaghetti are related to bristles.
Their tubes are made of mud and mucous. 

THANKS MIKE O'ROURKE

Aiptasia- A Brief View   

ACROPORA EATING FLATWORMS

RED BUGS - AN SPS CORAL PROBLEM

MONTIPORA EATING NUDIBRANCH

TREAT WITH FLARWORM EXIT -DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE DOSAGE FOR 4 TO 6 HOURS.  CHANGE WATER AND USE YOUR SKIMMER AND CARBON TO CLEAN UP THE WATER.
TRY VARIOUS CORAL DIPS - I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE TO USE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE LITTLE CRITTERS TO GET RID OF.  IF YOU FIND A DIP PLEASE EMAIL ME.
"INTERCEPTOR" IS A PRESCRIPTION ANIMAL MEDICINE THAT WORKS.  I'M TOLD CANADIAN ANIMAL PHARMACIES DISPENSE IT WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION.
ACROPORA EATING CRAB
THIS GUY WAS PULLED FROM AN ACRO COLONY AFTER 3 ADJACENT  COLONIES (DIFFERENT SPECIES) HAD
SHOWN WHITE PATCHES AND WHITE TIPS.

PHOTOS FROM DOMINIC

ZOOANTHID
EATING
NUDIBRANCH

LESS THAN 1/2" AND
VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE

THE Dreaded Majano Anemones

Hair Algae
The greatest cause is not changing filters 2 to 3 times per week, feeding more than once a day, feeding flake food, dry food, "gumbo" foods. Also not doing 1 time per month very large water changes.  You will find other reasons in my website.  SEA HARES are great for eating hair algae, we often have them in the shop.

Hair Algae

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