Tips and Tricks-Aptasia and Majano Anemone

There are many things in the marine aquarium hobby that have the ability to frustrate the hobbyist, (regardless of their experience), and one of the leaders on that list would be Aptasia and Majano Anemones.  These pests can be relocated (acquired) via purchased live rock or even on corals.  They should be dealt with immediately, being they have the ability to spread quite rapidly without being noticed.

Ways to eliminate.
There are many ways to eliminate these pests that will have little to no effect on your marine tank.

Aptasia X, Joe’s Juice, and Kalk paste (a combination of aquarium water and Kalkwasser) are some of the products on the market can help with aptasia.  Some aquarists prefer a more natural approach when combatting marine pests.  More often than not, their approach consists of Peppermint shrimp (known to have a taste for aptasia while in larger groups), a butterfly fish (Copperband, Raccoon, and Klein’s Butterfly fish), and Berghia Nudibranchs (exclusively eat pest anemones).

Whether it is a combination of chemical and natural approach, these anemones should be taken care of immediately.  Take the time on the front end and save yourself plenty of heartache in the long run.

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Tips and Tricks-New to the hobby? Practice patience.

As we are rapidly approach the holiday season, many people will ask for, and receive a new tank for the holidays.  For some of you this will be nothing new; however, for the majority this will be the start of what could be an amazing adventure.  Furthermore, if some basic steps are not taken, this new gift can turn into something very frustrating.

First, new tank owners should put aside some time to do some reading about their new undertaking.  There are many extremely informative online sites where someone, who is new, can come to learn about the hobby. (Example: aquaristmagazine.com for Freshwater and reefkeeping.com for Saltwater)  The more you read and familiarize yourself with terms and best practices of the hobby, the better off you will be in the long run.

Second, join a local saltwater online forum.  This is a location where hobbyists can come and share in their experiences, good or bad.  These forums are open to all comers, you do not have to be an expert to sign up for them.  Take the time to introduce yourself on one of the threads, and read up on some of the topics and questions from the past.  Remember everyone starts out as a beginner, and do not be afraid to ask questions.  Believe me the question has been asked before and there are many more experienced hobbyists who are more than willing to help you along your way.

Lastly, the single best advice that I could give you is to “Go Slow!!!”.  Most hobbyists get excited with the new gift and want to get it up and running as fast as possible.  Having the impulse to go out and quickly stock your tank with the biggest and best aquarium animals should be curbed.  Nothing good comes fast in this hobby.  You can save yourself plenty of time, money and heart ache, if you do your research up-front.

Taking your time, doing research, and being patient will allow you to enjoy this hobby for years to come.  Remember, going too fast will make your time in this hobby a short and frustrating one.  Take my advice, be patient.

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