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A few weeks ago one of the local fish stores posted to our club forum indicating that anyone wanting to purchase a laser to zap aiptasia could be added to their waiting list. I'd already read threads about using lasers before, and watched some videos. Sign me up! I've used all sorts of products over the years to get rid of pest anemones, but not a laser beam.

Last Friday I got a call letting me know mine had come in, and Sunday I made the drive to Dallas North Aquarium to pick it ...

Back in Jan 6th I posted a blog about how Aiptasias had apparently been eradicated from my tank, since I hadn't had peppermint shrimp for 2 months and no Aiptasias were found neither in my sump nor in my DT.

Well, up until Oct 9th, when I added peppermint shrimp to the tank again no Aiptasias had appeared in the DT nor in the sump.

But, on Nov 24th I spotted this in my sump:

Yep, Aiptasia. So, either that one was hiding ...

Thursday as I was doing a quick water change I found a tentacled creature sitting on top of my first sump baffle glass.... looked like an aiptasia to me so I tried to suck it with the hose. It receded into the baffle and I lost it.

A few minutes later I saw it drifting submersed in the water on the other side of the baffles, close to the return pumps, stout and tentacles all spread open, like a spider. This time I took it out with plastic claws (didn't want to touch it).
...

I have a problem in my current tank. Specifically, I have a couple of different strange algae. Also I have a problem with APTAISIA. Now, I know that I have to do some things to get the Aptaisia under control. I have purchased some Berghia nudibranches and hope to get them under control. Also, I will be attacking the larger ones with some Blue Life Aptaisia Control. I know the stuff works, but it is such a PITA to use. I had a couple of peppermints that had a voracious appetite, but ...

Usually whenever I hear some new idea, I'm pretty cautious and resist the urge to proceed until I get more information. However, this time I just ran with it. Pretty out of character, right? Part of the reason is because the stuff recommended is no stranger to this professional stripper.

So here's the premise. Mix up lye (Sodium hydroxide) with water, and attack those pest anemones. Sounds simple, and it's cheap!

20 years ago when I started stripping, I used ...