Aptasia reef safe helpers?

[Unknownpharoah1]

I know file fish help with aptasia. I also know when the aptasia is gone, it may start munching corals. Right now, my aptasia problem is small. I’d like to keep it that way. What other fish out there can I employ to chow on aptasia as it happens but won’t dine on my sps/lps In the tank as well? Tank is 500 gallon and been in service 8 months.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I know file fish help with aptasia. I also know when the aptasia is gone, it may start munching corals. Right now, my aptasia problem is small. I’d like to keep it that way. What other fish out there can I employ to chow on aptasia as it happens but won’t dine on my sps/lps In the tank as well? Tank is 500 gallon and been in service 8 months.

Unfortunately, pretty much anything that will eat an anemone will eat coral If they get a taste for it.

I think the only exception are berghia nudibranches.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I think you should get an army of peppermint shrimp - They will control the babies and then you can hit the larger ones with aiptasia X. Aiptasia x without natural predator has been a waste of money bc you can never get the ones in weird areas and I feel it just explodes their growth. I would not touch them unless you can remove the rock and then scrape it off and cover it with glue or epox - This works real well.

 

[mdb_talon]

Berghia Nudis is the best bet if they fit your tank. However depending on the fish you have in there they may just become expensive snacks before they make a dent in the aiptasia population.

 

[andye81]

Due to tough bio laws in Australia we cant get a hold of things like Berghia Nudis. Have tried Copper Banded Butterfly's before, but they are difficult to keep for some people. Pepper mint shrimp are good (or some of them), but can get eaten by your fish.

Here in Australia, we have success with "Stripeys" not sure if you have them in your part of the world. But they are the only thing I have found to munch on the aptasia and not eat my corals.

Stripeys - Wikipedia