leather coral

Suzy,

No they wouldn't.  Nudibranch's are incredibly beautiful slugs.  They are a fantastic specimen of what nature can create.  They greatly enhance your tank.  They die 2 weeks later. 

I wouldn't recommend them, unless you have lots of coral and macro algae for them to eat.  However, the Berghia do work great, and Jake has had marvelous success with them.  Once your aiptasia are gone, simply give them to your friends.  But stay clear of the other nudibranchs (I know they are tempting). 

Adam

 

    Mark, I think your idea is brilliant! I guess i lucked out in submitting this question as far as my tank is concerned. I now post a forum when I have a question. I will be coming to the meeting in april (unfortunately missed march) but I also tell everyone I know including pet stores about this club & how informative it has been for me. This web site will saves people $$ as well.  By the way......Reg my toadstool...happy to say two days ago I rearranged my rock & placed him where he is mid tank & can have shade when he wants. it came out in full by the next night--<24hrs later!!! It is now doing very well!!                Thanks Guys  

Mark - awesome idea! I'm not sure the LFS would agree though. For many, selling snake oil seems to be their bread and butter. I don't want to start a flaming thread about LFS, but I had one owner try to sell me a can of Black Powder recenty. (no offense to you Marc Weiss fans) he said all the corals would open wider and the powder would improve coloration. He went so far as to assure me that coral frags would attach quicker as a result of this magic in a jar! I had been going to his store for a long time. He knows me, he knows what I normally buy, he knows I've had some experience yet he trys to sell me 4oz of wonder powder (for $15) to solve all my problems. Anyway, (stepping down off my soapbox) just my $.02 about LFS helping us save money.

I think you're being a little harsh re: LFS.  I'd bet that all, if not most, of the fish stores that carry a good stock of marine/reef animals are run by avid hobbyests (I can't spell for s*$%!).  Just 'cause they give you a sells pitch on the newest gadget, doesn't mean they (the owners) are just trying to make a buck.  Give 'em the benefit of the doubt, maybe they believe that blackpowder, coral vital, combisan, aptaisa, whatever is the best thing since sliced bread.  There are some fish stores that really are clueless when it comes to reefs, but I find them the exception not the rule (IMO).  Now I may not agree with everthing a fish store salesman might say but I wouldn't invalidate their experience just 'cause they might make a few $$ from the potential sale.  It's really no different then here on this list...there's probably 50 successful reefkeepers here with 50 different opinions on how/why they're successful.

jkelson, I'd still be interested in who sold you aptaisa for a reef tank.  That is someone who needs a pamplet!

     jon,  Yeah I can agree with that. I also know this hobby Is more intense than people realize. Everytime I try to explain it to someone ie.Nitrogen cycle,iodine,trace elements & aiptaisa they look at me like im some science geek :).  New products are a given in any market. It may work, it may not. I will say that everyone has their own way of doing things, and alot of times they all seem to work!  I think my aiptasia is gone for the most part. i have not seen any come back in the rock yet (cross my fingers) And believe me I am watching like a mother over her child.  I don't really want to mention a name , but I think this type of mistake was made by lack of knowledge, or maybe (because of the awesome sale price hehe) he knew, trash or $3 a piece to an inexperienced anenome identifier. either way, the more I learn the more I teach & love it even more!!!!!

That's right Jon. The voice of reason prevails! Most tanks sustain a few Aiptasia and the little buggers never go any further than that.

Obviously Mark and Adam have never had an Aiptasia problem.  It is true that many times Aiptasia will not get out of control and is not a pest to many people, but those who have gone through having an Aiptasia problem never want to have it again and will do anything to avoid it.  Aiptasia is one of the hardest pests in the reef to control.

I love this message board. It's so fun to be having this kind of exchange all through the month and not just at meetings. I'm an addict, I admit it.

Seems to me that when I did my stint as Pres. it was always unnerving to hear someone at an LFS say something about hearing a crazy WMAS member saying some ridiculous thing. As much as I wanted the club to have credibility, I was then, and still am, guilty of putting forth my own silly opinions. But it sure is fun!!!

I also don't like to over react infact I think I tend to under react but that's niether here nor there.

I noticed  some aiptasia in my tank some time ago I remained in observe mode and did nothing to rid them.  I think they came in peace.  I saw no harm done and I haven't seen them since.

I also understand that they can reproduce and become a problem.  Members on this forum have teamed together and come up with some really good suggestions.