Aptasia Killer!

[porpoiseaquatics]

I've heard plenty from others about Australian Copper-banded Butterflyfish as a method to reduce aptasia in the reef aquarium. When I hear about fish being the answer, I get skeptical because I've also read plenty where it just didn't happen. Generally speaking, the said fish gets fed plenty by other means and has no motivation to go after the natural food source.

I picked up a medium sized Australian CB from another member and while I don't have any aptasia in my DT, I was supplemental feeding this fish with frozen bloodworms, brine and mysis. He seemed fairly content.

Well I do have aptasia in my QT tank so I pulled a piece of rock from there that had 5 or 6 polyps on the rock.....dropped it in the tank...it wasn't there more than 15 seconds when the ACB found it and went to work!! I mean he literally ripped these guys apart and ate the pieces as they free floated. It happened so fast, I didn't even have a chance to capture his work on film. Now I'm actually growing aptasia in my QT as a food source for this guy.

So the bottom line is....want to get rid of aptasia AND own a beautiful fish....get an Australian Copper-banded Butterflyfish.

 

[capthutch]

Same deal w/mine except if It is too large he/she dosen't seem to want to tackle it. It's a PIG HOG though, loves to eat!

 

[glxtrix]

:up: I use to "breed" aptasia in my sump back in the day when I had my first CBB. Now that my current one has done it's job, I may go back to my old methods. FWIW, I got my current CBB at Optimum Aquarium...it's one of the largest I've seen and goes after aptasia of any size. It took him a few weeks before he found his taste for those little buggers, but def not one to be found in the tank now.

 

[capthutch]

Have either of you seen them eat Majano? I was wondering if they wil eat it the same way

 

[lagunareef]

Is this the very same cpb from me? I'm impressed,

 

[heathlindner25]

beautiful fish

 

[glxtrix]

CaptHutch;897358 wrote: Have either of you seen them eat Majano? I was wondering if they wil eat it the same way

Never had them so I can't comment. However, I don't think I have ever heard of CBB's eating them...could be wrong though.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

lagunareef;897362 wrote: Is this the very same cpb from me? I'm impressed,

Sure is!!!

Edit:

CaptHutch;897358 wrote: Have either of you seen them eat Majano? I was wondering if they wil eat it the same way

Don't have any so I can't say.

 

[the curious]

I purchased a CBB from a member a couple years ago at a time when I had no aiptasia in my DT. Within 30 seconds of me putting him into my tank, he decided he was going to dine on my Australian open brain coral...30 seconds later he was removed...then taken to the LFS.
Anyone else have similar, or did I just get a lemon?

I love CBBs and want one, I'm just weary after my last experience.

 

[glxtrix]

the curious;897625 wrote: I purchased a CBB from a member a couple years ago at a time when I had no aiptasia in my DT. Within 30 seconds of me putting him into my tank, he decided he was going to dine on my Australian open brain coral...30 seconds later he was removed...then taken to the LFS.
Anyone else have similar, or did I just get a lemon?

I love CBBs and want one, I'm just weary after my last experience.

They will nip at lps...some sps and clams....it's part of all butterflies natural diet. Some will nip in home aquariums, some wont...or at least, wont seem like they wont. If you feed your tank heavy, sometimes they will not nip....but no guarantee.

 

[glxtrix]

al1;897631 wrote: just added a cb, eating mysis fine... Been in there for about 6 days no signs of eating aiptasia.... :/ still a cool fish but kinda bummed out i need a aiptasia killer asap!!

depending on collecting method and acclimation to your tank, it can take a bit for them to eat. It took mine about 2 weeks before it decided to eat them. Just give it some time.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

The key is: you must buy a known AUSTRALIAN Copper-banded Butterflyfish. Others are not as aggressive as the Australian variety. Don't ask me why because I don't have a clue.

And mine has not be caught nipping at any other corals or my clam. He does stick his nose in the cracks of live rock, I assume looking for pods and such.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I honestly don't know. Haven't done the research that far. I got mine from a trusted member and he ordered it specifically as an Australian. All I know is the guy is a KILLER!! Just put a rock with a ton of mint green zoas on it...there was 1 piece of aptasia and as soon as my hand let go...he had it and was gone!

 

[1percula]

The best and sure fire way to deal with aptasia is berghia nudibranch. These guys are eating machines and will naturally take care of aptasia. Aptasia is all that they eat. No worries about the diet or habits of a particular fish. I picked up 10 small ones and dropped them in a 66 gallon tank FULL of aptasia. After 3-4 of months, they are almost gone. I have to try to find aptasia. I think I am down to 5. Berghia's are expensive, anywhere from $12-$17 a piece, but they get the job done naturally. Only need to make sure that your emerald crabs aren't starving. They will eat them if they are hungry. Only issue is that they will lay eggs on your glass practically everyday. This small irritation will even end after they get the aptasia population in control. They will die off and leave enough to keep your tank in check. ONLY WAY TO GO!!!

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

The problem with those are....once all the aptasia is gone...so are they. They won't eat anything else and no food source means they die.

 

[capthutch]

Mine eats like a P.I.G Hog Porpoise! He bows up on everybody and gets his fill first before anybody else! I feed Reef Frenzy with some supplements and it loves it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -

 

[1percula]

I ordered my berghia online. Just run a search. Yes they die if the food is gone, but so does everything else.

 

[raz0945]

Mine is a regular Pacific/Indian Ocean and he would eat his weight ever day except he has already cleaned out the 125g and the 75g and I am putting him back in the 125g to do clean up work. Not expensive, beautiful and a hard worker!

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

1PERCULA;897749 wrote: I ordered my berghia online. Just run a search. Yes they die if the food is gone, but so does everything else.

Not true! A fish will eat other foods. Mine does....frozen bloodworms, frozen mysis, frozen brine and live black worms.

 

[tim8111]

I used to have a CBB that would eat out of my hand. It was a beast when it came to aptasia killing. If you didn't hold on to the frag or rock, he would rip it out of your hand.