Nudibranchs or copperband??

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Daniel@R2R

Daniel@R2R
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I've got aiptasia issues in my 180, but I'm not sure if I would do best to try a copperband butterfly or berghia nudibranchs. Aiptasia-X has not been an effective way to control them...I've also tried peppermint shrimp (to no avail) and I currently have a huge useless filefish, so I'm thinking I'll try one of these other predators. I'd rather get a copperband because he'll definitely be more visible, but I've been told they aren't reef safe. The berghias are expensive and I'm afraid they won't survive the bristle worms and Christmas wrasses in my tank. Thoughts?

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im in the same boat as you man, just got a cbb hasnt touch my aptasia yet. where did you get your peppermints from? i had 1 that would eat it but i think he died or something, got 3 more, didnt touch any. was thinking of trying to liveaquaria peppermints. berhgias will get eaten by my shrimp / fish
 
I've gone through about 10 peppermints...most from local stores and 1 from Reef Raft. Never have noticed any eaten...I'm thinking that if I get a cbb, I'll qt him first and train him to eat aiptasia...been reading up on doing that.

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I've always had good luck with aptasia x followed by peppermints. The shrimp seem to like half cooked.
 
We have always had the best luck with large peppermint shrimp. We bought about 7 I'm our 55 gal tank and it was gone in a week and we haven't seen one since then. It's been a year now haven't seen any.
 
Nutramar Foods
Wrasses will eat Berghia. First question to potential customers when I was selling them, do you have any wrasses? You can raise the Berghia in a spare tank and move the aiptasia rock in and out but that is not possible if you have corals since it is not good for them to be moved.
 
It is hit and miss with most things you will try. Years ago I saw a 20 gallon tank full of Peppermint Shrimps at one of my LFS voraciously attack aiptasia and look like a shark feeding frenzy. I have never had luck with them though. I think it may have something to do with where they are collected. I don't know. I just know that I hae seen at least one group of them devour aiptasia before my eyes.

I have had a CBBs in two tanks now and have had great luck with them. Both were model reef citizens. I have had one in my 140 for about 5 years and I have no aipatsia in the display at all. Haven't seen one in years. I have also never seen the CBB touch anything in the tank, from SPS to softies.

I have a file fish in my nano and the same there. No aiptasia in the display at all. However; I do believe he has developed an appetite for zoanthids. He will only eat mysis otherwise.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution to your aiptasia infestation.
 
WWC
steamer51 said:
Wrasses will eat Berghia. First question to potential customers when I was selling them, do you have any wrasses? You can raise the Berghia in a spare tank and move the aiptasia rock in and out but that is not possible if you have corals since it is not good for them to be moved.
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Does this include cleaner wrasses?? I have same issue, tried all solutions except the CBB and Berghia. Was leaning towards the Berghia first but have a cleaner wrasse in the tank already....
 
Fin said:
It is hit and miss with most things you will try. Years ago I saw a 20 gallon tank full of Peppermint Shrimps at one of my LFS voraciously attack aiptasia and look like a shark feeding frenzy. I have never had luck with them though. I think it may have something to do with where they are collected.
Click to expand...

True, it's all about hit and miss. Copperband will do the job but when they can't find aptaisia they'll look to coral for food, some do not touch either one.
and yes I think there is a species of peppermint shrimps will eat aptaisia I forgot which one it is the other species will not eat it so be careful and ask the LFS.
 
I have never been able to keep peppermints. I gave up on em. On the other hand I haven't seen a single aptasia since I added my CBB. He eats shaved scallops, and mysis as well as picking at the rockwork. Gets along with the Sailfin too. They are buds.
 
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Mike J. said:
My vote is neither. I vote Matted Filefish. I can only say very good things about mine.
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I have had about 4 filefish in the past and they are great at eating aiptasia, but the downside to having a filefish is that you can't keep an Anemone in your tank. If you have one already please remove it before introducing one. I would have to go with Nudibranches. Set up a small breeding tank for them like a 5/6 gallon pico, get a small colony because they're very colonial. You can feed them aiptasia from your 180 for a few months till you have a large enough colony then slowly start introducing them to your bigger tank. This method will help you keep a good supply of Nudibranches incase the ones in your display don't survive.
Also, I'm not 100% sure about this but I would say don't do nudibraches and peppermint together.
Peppermints also tend to not go for the bigger aiptasia and its always a hit and miss with them anyways.
Once you've a good population of Nudibranches you can always sell to your local LFS or Hobbyists to offset your cost.
 
WWC
They say you should have a ton of peppermint shrimp in your tank. Atleast 10. It has worked for multiple people ub my local area. I struck out with a file fish, as soon as I dropped him in he was eating them pests. I spent 280 on burghia and they suck. Bought the largest they had. 15 of them. I still see them though
 
If you go copperband or file fish you should QT them first. I have a CB and it keeps them at bay and does not pick at my corals. When I had a ICK outbreak, I remove all fish and treated them in a hospital tank, then QT them for another 73 days. In that time frame hundreds of aiptasia came back. When I added CB back in,he took care of them. But I think they still might be in there. Thats why I say it keeps them at bay.
 
I'm in the same boat things are annoying and the wand just makes them comeback faster. I used peppermints with success in the past but I have a huge Xmas wrasse hopefully he won't eat them.

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