Why are Aiptasia (Rock anenomes) so bad?

Question

I'm starting a 20 gallon marine aquarium, and I have about 5 Aiptasia (2 mm-1.5 inch). They look kinda cool, and they aren't stinging the snails in the tank. Why are are they considered so bad?

Answer 1

Aquarists don't like them because they are considered unattractive, very damaging to your desired livestock and hard to stop once they start multiplying. These anemones multiply asexually, reproducing in two ways -- by means of detaching tiny bits of tissue from the foot, which soon grow and mature into fully functional miniature anemones; by giving live birth to fully formed young, which they do by ejecting them from the mouth. Also because of these regenerative capabilities, pieces that remain behind or break loose from these anemones when you try to scrape or pull them off will grow back again, or even develop into a few new ones. When aiptasia is disturbed, it ejects dangerous white stinging threads, or acontia, into any fish that crosses its path. Even if it truly isn't stinging now, they most likely will someday. They compete for food and space with the fish, they have the capability to move about by creeping along rapidly, or detaching and drifting to a new location, which makes it easy for them to attack and kill other types of anemones, sea mats, zoanthids, polyps, most corals, and other sessile invertebrates. With a 20 gallon tank, which is really quite small for a saltwater tank, you're already overrun with 5 of these creatures. It is really not a good idea to get such a destructive, highly reproductive animal. I read an article where a guy had 2 aiptasia. In 2 years, he had 100. I don't think your 20 gallon can handle that. Take these critters back and research other invertebrates and choose one that does not multiply or harm your other fish or invertebrates.

Answer 2

Give them a chance to reproduce for a few months and then come back on this site and answer your own question.LMAO
They can and probably will cover just about everything in your tank IF you give them the chance.
Peppermint shrimp eat them, some butterfly fish eat them, emperor angels eat them but if you are running a REEF tank, I would not introduce ANY of these FISH because they like to sample some LPS and SPS Corals$$$$$$$