Copperband Butterfly and aiptasia

brett559 · 10/17/2014, 12:48 PM

I've still got a ton of large aiptasias, maybe 75 or so. I bought 4 peppermint shrimp a few weeks ago, and haven't seen much improvement. I want to try a natural approach, as opposed to chemicals - there's just too many. I've got a nice big bubble tip nem that has hosted my two clownfish, so I don't want to disturb it by removing rock.

So basically, I want to try and get a fish that can help. I've researched both Copperband butterfly fish and filefish. Obviously, the CBB is prettier, but is harder to keep. I'm aware that both can nip corals, but I don't have anything coral-wise in my tank that I can't afford to lose.

Our local guy picks excellent fish, and he said he's batting about 95% on selecting CBBs that will eat well. He also said between the CBB and the filefish, the CBB might have a better aiptasia appetite. I understand both are hit and miss.

So my thought is to try the CBB, and if he doesn't eat my aiptasia, he's a beautiful fish anyway. This is a much more cost-effective and time-effective method, and I want to give it a try. I've heard that with chemicals, the aips keep coming back. Hopefully, a CBB and the pepps can keep them gone for good.

Any luck with CBBs and aiptasia? Any happy stories to give me hope?

Nina51 · 10/17/2014, 12:54 PM

how big is your tank?

johnike got one of these and it destroyed the aptasia in his 240.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...264&pcatid=264

pinnatus · 10/17/2014, 12:55 PM

I had thousands of aptasia, so I got a copperband. (I tried pepps, but they didn't help and they disappeared). Slowly, the aptasia began to disappear. After maybe 3 months, all the aptaisia were gone. However, the copperband would not eat anything else, and a few months later, it died. So I would make sure that you get a copperband that is eating things besides aptaisia.

FF184 · 10/17/2014, 12:56 PM

Sorry, no happy stories here regarding aptasia.

In my experience my CBB never touched it in my 75g. I have peppermint shrimp in my 20gal nano and when they get hungry enough they devour it, but for long periods of time they don't touch it. Luckily the problem isn't too bad in the 20g.

My 75g is a FOWLER tank, so I assume if I put peppermint shrimp in there they will become fish food.

I haven't tried a filefish yet.

phillrodrigo · 10/17/2014, 01:05 PM

Berghia nudibranch. A fellow reefer gave me 2 berghia about 2 months ago. They are working very well. They disappear so it may seem like they died but if you look before lights come on you may see them on the glass. I got 2 adults and they went to town pretty quick

letoan · 10/17/2014, 01:21 PM

I got one for about 3 years, very healthy and ate everything I throw in the tank, I have no clue what's the cause of death. I got aiptasia outbreak just over a month after that, I guess its does a fine job kept those bloody pest at bay, which was never my intent for having the fish.

amber3k · 10/17/2014, 02:46 PM

I have a cbb specifically for aiptasia. He took out all aiptasia in my 150gal except one large one. I used the hot water method on that one. It didn't kill it but made it small enough that the cbb ate it that day. My lfs told he he will eat flake or brine shrimp and he does except he's not as enthusiastic about feeding time as my other fish so I have to use a syringe and tubing to squirt brine shrimp into rock crevices and holes for him to eat.

10/17/2014, 12:48 PM	#1
brett559 In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Visalia, CA Posts: 1,790	Copperband Butterfly and aiptasia I've still got a ton of large aiptasias, maybe 75 or so. I bought 4 peppermint shrimp a few weeks ago, and haven't seen much improvement. I want to try a natural approach, as opposed to chemicals - there's just too many. I've got a nice big bubble tip nem that has hosted my two clownfish, so I don't want to disturb it by removing rock. So basically, I want to try and get a fish that can help. I've researched both Copperband butterfly fish and filefish. Obviously, the CBB is prettier, but is harder to keep. I'm aware that both can nip corals, but I don't have anything coral-wise in my tank that I can't afford to lose. Our local guy picks excellent fish, and he said he's batting about 95% on selecting CBBs that will eat well. He also said between the CBB and the filefish, the CBB might have a better aiptasia appetite. I understand both are hit and miss. So my thought is to try the CBB, and if he doesn't eat my aiptasia, he's a beautiful fish anyway. This is a much more cost-effective and time-effective method, and I want to give it a try. I've heard that with chemicals, the aips keep coming back. Hopefully, a CBB and the pepps can keep them gone for good. Any luck with CBBs and aiptasia? Any happy stories to give me hope?

10/17/2014, 12:54 PM	#2
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	how big is your tank? johnike got one of these and it destroyed the aptasia in his 240. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...264&pcatid=264 __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

10/17/2014, 12:55 PM	#3
pinnatus RIP Ludinano Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 1,572	I had thousands of aptasia, so I got a copperband. (I tried pepps, but they didn't help and they disappeared). Slowly, the aptasia began to disappear. After maybe 3 months, all the aptaisia were gone. However, the copperband would not eat anything else, and a few months later, it died. So I would make sure that you get a copperband that is eating things besides aptaisia. __________________ - Ken Current Tank Info: 240 gal Fish-Only, 13-gal w/ clowns Last edited by pinnatus; 10/17/2014 at 01:11 PM.

10/17/2014, 12:56 PM	#4
FF184 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SW PA Posts: 51	Sorry, no happy stories here regarding aptasia. In my experience my CBB never touched it in my 75g. I have peppermint shrimp in my 20gal nano and when they get hungry enough they devour it, but for long periods of time they don't touch it. Luckily the problem isn't too bad in the 20g. My 75g is a FOWLER tank, so I assume if I put peppermint shrimp in there they will become fish food. I haven't tried a filefish yet.

10/17/2014, 01:05 PM	#5
phillrodrigo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: quaker hill ct Posts: 2,433	Berghia nudibranch. A fellow reefer gave me 2 berghia about 2 months ago. They are working very well. They disappear so it may seem like they died but if you look before lights come on you may see them on the glass. I got 2 adults and they went to town pretty quick

10/17/2014, 01:21 PM	#6
letoan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: MA Posts: 275	I got one for about 3 years, very healthy and ate everything I throw in the tank, I have no clue what's the cause of death. I got aiptasia outbreak just over a month after that, I guess its does a fine job kept those bloody pest at bay, which was never my intent for having the fish.

10/17/2014, 02:46 PM	#7
amber3k Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Post Falls, Idaho Posts: 251	I have a cbb specifically for aiptasia. He took out all aiptasia in my 150gal except one large one. I used the hot water method on that one. It didn't kill it but made it small enough that the cbb ate it that day. My lfs told he he will eat flake or brine shrimp and he does except he's not as enthusiastic about feeding time as my other fish so I have to use a syringe and tubing to squirt brine shrimp into rock crevices and holes for him to eat.