Copperband butterfly to control BTA?

marinesnow · Jul 11, 2023

If there are any wholesalers or online retailers in your area, you might want to contact them. These sell for more online and they might give you more for them. Another idea is to post them up for sale on a local reef club forum or facebook group--if you have one.

k2- · Jul 12, 2023

Sell and a harem of clown - wow ! That’s a beautiful watch ! I also believe it’s therapeutic in some form (except for yih who have to deal with so many of them lol )

vetteguy53081 · Jul 12, 2023

Ann Enomy said:
As you can see, I have a few Anemones. I have sold to all local LFS so much that they are telling me no now. One store is even selling them for $15 per and still has too many. I never thought I would say it but these buggers are becoming a pest.

My question is do you think a butterfly would help control the population a bit while the dozen clownfish I have will protect some of the BTA's?

I don't want to eradicate them but I'm tossing anywhere from 3-5 / week as they crawl onto the front/side glass. The ones on rocks are too hard to get out by hand. Perfect scenario would be the butterfly would thin them at a rate equal to there cloning.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks

I have a large copperband and had 8 , now 4 BTA and it wont even look at them. Better would be a racoon butterfly

chimbo84 · Jul 12, 2023

Ann Enomy said:
As you can see, I have a few Anemones. I have sold to all local LFS so much that they are telling me no now. One store is even selling them for $15 per and still has too many. I never thought I would say it but these buggers are becoming a pest.

My question is do you think a butterfly would help control the population a bit while the dozen clownfish I have will protect some of the BTA's?

I don't want to eradicate them but I'm tossing anywhere from 3-5 / week as they crawl onto the front/side glass. The ones on rocks are too hard to get out by hand. Perfect scenario would be the butterfly would thin them at a rate equal to there cloning.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks

I am looking for a supply of anemones to create exactly what you have pictured. If you have some you want to get rid of, I will gladly pay for them.

reeferguy3303 · Jul 12, 2023

ever thought about selling/shipping any ? would love a tank like that

Rmckoy · Jul 12, 2023

There are butterflyfish that strictly eat only anemones but I think you might have a hard time finding them .

Dave-T · Jul 12, 2023

areefer01 said:
There is a sponge trick. New sponge, like the larger ones used to clean up tile flooring. Get a 2" PVC slip fitting, cut a hole in the center of the sponge. Not a huge one but enough such that the PVC fitting slids in flush with the bottom. There should be 1/2" or so of PVC extended out the top of the sponge. Anyway take this, place over the nem, gently, and then secure it to the rock so it doesn't float away. You should be able to do this with larger rubber bands or string(s).

The idea is that the sponge blocks light. It sees said light through the PVC fitting so will move up into that. Once you see it remove it. There are a few posts here on this forum and web in general to put pictures to my words. But you more or less get the idea.

New, clean sponge. 2" pvc slip fitting. Hole in sponge. Insert fitting. Place over nem gently. Secure. Wait. Remove.

I've got the exact problem and tried this. Didn't work. The nems just squirm around to find an outlet to light. I’m going to just take a scalpel to the nems when I get around to it. I've tried every humane way I can find, to remove them.

areefer01 · Jul 12, 2023

Dave-T said:
I've got the exact problem and tried this. Didn't work. The nems just squirm around to find an outlet to light. I’m going to just take a scalpel to the nems when I get around to it. I've tried every humane way I can find, to remove them.

Ah, bummer. Before the scalpel try a credit card. I mean there isn't much we can do really after exhausting other means. I've had to remove a couple rocks.

You may have tried it but maybe try some direct, gentle flow. See if that can get them to the glass/acrylic or somewhere safer. If not, well, you gave it your best shot

Hope your day is going well minus the nem trouble.

Ann Enomy · Jul 12, 2023

reeferguy3303 said:
ever thought about selling/shipping any ? would love a tank like that

https://www.coralseawny.com/shop/Rainbow-Bubble-Tip-Anemone-p533373528
This is a LFS that has a bunch of my nems. He does sell online as well. In store he has been selling them for $25. I bet if you email the owner (Pete) he probably would cut you a deal for multiples. He has way more than 15 that he has listed. Buy him out and I could supply him with more

Ann Enomy · Jul 13, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4042118585...+gbwlT7txQKxumpHEF/OUxK4wQ|tkp:Bk9SR_bmvfepYg
Pete also gave me the link to his ebay listing.
Enjoy!

littlefoxx · Jul 13, 2023

Ann Enomy said:
As you can see, I have a few Anemones. I have sold to all local LFS so much that they are telling me no now. One store is even selling them for $15 per and still has too many. I never thought I would say it but these buggers are becoming a pest.

My question is do you think a butterfly would help control the population a bit while the dozen clownfish I have will protect some of the BTA's?

I don't want to eradicate them but I'm tossing anywhere from 3-5 / week as they crawl onto the front/side glass. The ones on rocks are too hard to get out by hand. Perfect scenario would be the butterfly would thin them at a rate equal to there cloning.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks

Molly miller blennies! Theh love that stuff. Also filefish might, or you do a aptasia eating shrimp. For get their name but cousins of peppermints.