How to Get Rid of Aptasia in a Salt Water Tank

Aptasia (also spelled aiptasia) anemones are also known as glass anemones. They are saltwater sea anemones that live on coral and multiply until the coral is completely covered. Aptasia can kill coral if the infestation is left unchecked. They can also grow on the sides of your tank or on rocks and eventually cover the entire tank, leaving no room for fish or other inhabitants.

Things You'll Need

  • Peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdenmanni)
  • Elegance coral
  • Nudibranch (Aeolidiella stephanieae)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put 5-10 peppermint shrimp in your tank. Use Lysmata wurdenmanni, which is one of several species of peppermint shrimp, since other species of this shrimp will also eat coral.

    • 2

      Place some elegance coral in the tank as near the aptasia as possible. Its sting will kill aptasia anemones. You will need a specimen of coral that is already 4 inches or more in height in order to use it effectively against the glass anemones.

    • 3

      Put a nudibranch in the tank. These sea slugs love to feast on aptasia. The best type of nudibranch for fighting off glass anemones is Aeolidiella stephanieae because they will not dine on your coral or other invertebrates.