Natural predators of Aiptasia

[mling]

I understand that Peppermint shrimps are known to eat Aiptasia but are there an fishes that would do the same ?

I was told that some Butterfly fishes can wipe out Aiptasia too.

 

Any one know of other natural predators of Aiptasia ?

[mutley29]

Copperband Butterfly is the only one i can think of off hand without checking, also there are Aiptasia eating Nudibranchs, but i think their tank life is alot on the short side, and if it croaks in your tank, you'll have to get it out quick in case it  nukes everything along with it, although Joe's Juice is working quite well for me, just having a BUGGER of a problem with Bryopsis at the moment, even a phosban reactor is having no affect, i may b forced to try boiling the LR or getting a Foxface Rabbit fish

 

HTH

 

Anton

[miller]

the copperband is working well for me but nake sure when you buy one it is eating at the store ( mysis or something) for they can be picky eaters and when they run oout of aptasia and feather dusters and such they will starve mine eats mysis like crazy

[michaelg]

Copperbanded butterflys, second what miller said about them eating.  Racoon butterflys are another option.  With either you run the risk of them nipping the heck out of your corals.  Also, I would strongly recommend not putting them in a tank with clownfish.  That's asking for WWIII- as butterflys are anenome eaters, clownfish naturally treat them as mortal enemies.  The baby racoon I just added made a tour of the tank- sampled almost every coral, then decided they weren't to his liking and spends his time hunting for pods.  Still waiting to see if he will go for the aptasia.  They will also clear out any of the small (or large) feather worms_  Berghia nudibrachs are another option.  It is possible to get them breeding in the tank.  Personally I don't recall that they are toxic time bombs, but could be wrong.  It can be hard to keep them out of pumps and overflows though.

[mling]

Looks like I'll be getting some peppermint shrimps.  I will probably get an Auriga Butterfly since they are more hardy than the Copperbanded.  

 

I am setting up a fish only tank to keep fishes like the butterfly that I can't keep in my reef tank.  So I guess this tank will be my "Aiptasia Eliminator" tank where I can move live rock to from my other tanks.

[michaelg]

This is a pretty extensive discussion.  

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums....=436042

See the link by StevenPro to the article he wrote on wetwebmedia