butterflies to eat aptasia

[michaelg]

Well between the tang and the phosphate remover, the grape calerpa that has plagued my tank is in recession.  Now come the aptasia.  I always had a couple but they never really spread.  Then came a rock I got from Eric B. with his devil spawn aptasia, and they are spreading like gangbusters.  Tried calcium hydroxide as well as strong HCl.  It would nuke them, but then they would come back stronger and in more numbers.  I have never had much luck with peppermint shrimp- maybe they get enough other food?  Anyhow, am very seriously considering taking a chance with a butterfly.  The tank it would go into is all SPS corals except for a palyotha colony.  Who has had luck with what particular species?  I know reefmon has one that has been very well behaved- is it a copperbanded?  or a racoon?

[Gatortailale]

Reefmons is red sea racoon.  I read that some copperbanded are also somewhat reef safe and didn't touch BTA's either - at least flame angel on RC posts that way.

[OUsnakebyte]

I had a copperband in my reef for over a year - model citizen and beautiful fish (I lost it on the move from Okla to here... just haven't gotten another one yet).  It did sample an open brain's feeding tentacles a few times, but nothing serious, and then it lost interest.  I also had it in with a squamosa clam - no problems.  They will take out all your feather dusters though - big ones or little live rock hitchhikers... doesn't matter.

 

I've never had an aptasia problem (knock on wood...), so I can't comment there, but I have read many reports of people having success with them clearing out pest anems.  If it doesn't eat the anems right away, and you can't get it to eat frozen, feed a mussel at feeding time and it will certainly enjoy those - as will the other fish, cleanup crew, etc...

 

Not sure what it exactly is, but have you tried Joe's Juice?  I've read good reports about it on RC...

 

HTH,

Mike

[Sph2sail]

I found that peppermint shrimp sometimes need to be lead to the feast...  Hitting an aiptasia with kalk stuns it enough and the peppermints seem to sense it.  minutes later, they are munching away.

 

just a thought.  I like lots of peppermints for this challenge...

 

s

[Guest greatwit]

isnt there a nudibranch that'll eat them? i know sometimes people will get one then pass it on to other peoples tanks.

[xeon]

I think the nudibranch that will eat aiptasia is the Berghia Nudibranch.  I think Rob at http://www.coralsandbar.com has them sometimes.  I've had luck with both a thick lime water and Peppermints.  Devil's spawn sounds about right since they walked through the chemical warfare you tossed at them.

[Guest AquariaUSA Local Sales]

Peppermints Get a trio to start, watch a few Aiptasias over the course of two weeks. As long as you are not feeding them that awesome WAMAS food directly they should take to eating them.

 

RIP for our only Chelmon rostratus who passed into a hiding anemone after a few years of steady aiptasia and bispira lunches.

[michaelg]

Man- I have gone the peppermint route so many times- up to 10 at a time.  Usually they come in real small with a high mortality rate- and the price on them has gone way up (typically $7/shrimp now).  I have a couple still in the the anenome tank with the clowns and they don't touch the aptasia in there (even after nuking them).  The anenome tank I can pretty much live with- it is the main SPS tank where they are really a problem.  Thanks for the replies.

[Guest AquariaUSA Local Sales]

$7 per shrimp? Gotta love retail! I think yours have decided that the special blender food you use suits their tastes better. They always prefer other foods to stinging nematocysts, but in the end when hungry they will eat

[Lee Stearns]

I have had the same experience- pepermints will eat the aptasia- espcially if you wound it with kalk paste or inject with vinegar, and if you don't keep them too well fed with other stuff. I know it is a balance similar to cleaner shrimp and getting them to do thier job on parasites- there is a fine line between keeping the cleaners hungry and the fish and corals properly nourisherd. I know you have tried many things- gues if you are looking for new or innovative- I have heard good things about Joe's Juice but never used it myself.