Aiptasia and Austraeolis ornata

Dear Ian,
I am interested to hear of Aiptasia causing problems in an Australian aquarium system. I didn't realise it is in this part of the world. Do Underwater World sterilise their sea water before discharging it or are they letting Aiptasia out into the marine environment?

There is quite a correspondence on Aiptasia control on the Berghia verrucicornis Page in the Forum. I have prepared a page on Austraeolis ornata on the Forum but I'm afraid we don't know much about its feeding habits. It belongs to a family (Glaucidae) which are on the whole hydroid feeders, but there are some species which have a much more catholic diet. Hermissenda crassicornis from California is a good example. I don't know of any published information on the feeding habits of Austraeolis, but in aquaria it will eat bits of carrion, anemones, other aeolids etc and Ian Loch once observed one desperately trying to eat a jellyfish. So even though it doesn't belong to the family Aeolidiidae, which is best known for eating anemones, it's not particularly surprising to hear that you have observed it feeding on anemones as well.

If you really want to try an anemone-eater see if you can find Spurilla australis. It and its relatives feed exclusively on sea anemones. Another species in Western Australia is Spurilla major.

Hope this is of some use. Please let me know if you know anything about the status of Aiptasia in the wild in Western Australia. For all I know it might be widely spread, but if not, its presence is quite worrying.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.