In an exciting development for reef-keepers Red Sea has developed a unique patent pending formula to treat the pest anemones Aiptasia sp., Anemonia majano and Boloceroides sp.

Affecting almost every reef aquarium, Aiptasia (otherwise known as glass anemones), are often introduced via live rock or corals and can quickly reach plague proportions in marine aquaria, destroying corals and other marine livestock with devastating effect.

Existing treatments are often unsuccessful as when threatened Aiptasia quickly retract into holes in the rock and release planula (larvae) in to the aquarium which can rapidly develop in to full anemones. Additionally any part of the anemone’s body left attached to a rock can regenerate into a full anemone. Many treatments can therefore lead to a proliferation rather than the removal of Aiptasia.

Research and development work carried out by Red Sea has led to the development of Aiptasia-X, a product which overcomes the problems usually associated with Aiptasia treatments thanks to its unique formula.

Aiptasia-X consists of natural components which form a uniquely thick, adhesive material. Instead of causing the Aiptasia to feel threatened, the unique formula is sensed as food stimulating the anemone to expand and ingest the material. The adhesive form of the treatment makes both the application of the material easy as well as sealing the anemone’s mouth preventing any release of planula. Within minutes of applying the material the Aiptasia will implode, eradicating both the anemone and its planula.

Red Sea’s new treatment is completely reef-safe and any material not ingested by the Aiptasia is harmless to sessile invertebrates. Excess material will decay harmlessly over time without any adverse consequences.

Easy to use and highly effective, Aiptasia-X provides a solution long sought-after by almost every reef-keeper at one time or another in the life of their aquarium.

The Aiptasia-X kit includes a 60ml bottle of material plus an applicator set consisting of a syringe with 2 (straight and angled) lock-on applicator tips enabling treatment of even the most inaccessible of anemones. The 60ml provided in the kit should be sufficient to treat approximately 100 Aiptasia anemones.