Butterfly's eat Aiptasia?

[cdnco2004]

I moved a big piece of live rock from one tank into another. That rock did have a bunch of small aiptasia on it. Within a few minutes the aiptasia opened back up in the new tank. I quickly saw my Racoon Butterfly start grazing on it. Went back a few minutes later and each of those aiptasia is gone. Are butterfly's known to eat aiptasia?

 

[tbrown]

Yes. Copperband Butterflies are one of the fish frequently used for Aiptasia eradication.

 

[cdnco2004]

Well add my Racoon Faced to the list. Cool.

 

[Jmp998]

Are there corals in your system, and does your butterfly eat them?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I moved a big piece of live rock from one tank into another. That rock did have a bunch of small aiptasia on it. Within a few minutes the aiptasia opened back up in the new tank. I quickly saw my Racoon Butterfly start grazing on it. Went back a few minutes later and each of those aiptasia is gone. Are butterfly's known to eat aiptasia?

CBB are hit and miss. A sure bet and noy finicky is a Kleini Butterfly BUT must be the bluehead if you have soft corals- NOT the yellow version. The yellow will go after coral too but bluehead as pictured will eat aptasia like candy, then eat all dry and frozen food offered, colorful, friendly and stays small. I will note that a couple of persons who got the blue had their kleini nip zoa. if so- easy sell, or place in sump as aptasia have likely made it down there already

 

[PeterErc]

Good to know about the Kleini, I had a yellow and it was a menace. Never was successful with a CBB. Had a raccoon that was fantastic. SPS tank with chalices on the sand bed fish ate aptasia like no tomorrow, problem was once the fish was removed all the aptasia that were hidden deep in the rock crevices came back with a vengeance.

 

[cdnco2004]

CBB are hit and miss. A sure bet and noy finicky is a Kleini Butterfly BUT must be the bluehead if you have soft corals- NOT the yellow version. The yellow will go after coral too but bluehead as pictured will eat aptasia like candy, then eat all dry and frozen food offered, colorful, friendly and stays small. I will note that a couple of persons who got the blue had their kleini nip zoa. if so- easy sell, or place in sump as aptasia have likely made it down there already

I only have soft leathers currently like Kenya Trees in that tank. I have lots of them. I had about 20 zoas on one of the rocks when I put them in. The next day there was 1 left when I pulled it out. The Racoon is the only butterfly I have currently. I did see him eat one of the zoas. My Lunar Wrasse did as well. Saw both of them pecking at the zoas. I had a bunch of bubble algae on the rocks as well. The butterfly tangs and surprisingly those same lunar wrasse ate up the bubble algae. I was surprised. I think I will look for one of the blues, I kinda want a pearlscale butterfly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I only have soft leathers currently like Kenya Trees in that tank. I have lots of them. I had about 20 zoas on one of the rocks when I put them in. The next day there was 1 left when I pulled it out. The Racoon is the only butterfly I have currently. I did see him eat one of the zoas. My Lunar Wrasse did as well. Saw both of them pecking at the zoas. I had a bunch of bubble algae on the rocks as well. The butterfly tangs and surprisingly those same lunar wrasse ate up the bubble algae. I was surprised. I think I will look for one of the blues, I kinda want a pearlscale butterfly.

Racoon, pakistani , heniocus and even some longnose will make salad out of softies and zoa