Mine didn't eat aiptasia either... :sad: But it took to mysis very quickly. At first, decrease the flow if necessary to allow mysis to fall onto the rock or tank bottom and he may pick at them.

They don't eat algae to my knowledge but will be eating the little bugs and worms from your rock and sand.

this really sucks... i bought the copperband to eat the aptasia in the tank and he hasn't eaten one. there's more aptasia and they're getting really big.

what else can i do to get rid of aptasia? should i take back the copperband, and then get the racoon butterfly? i'm not sure when we'll change into a full out reef tank, but i have a feeling that it won't be anytime soon.

peppermint shrimp have always worked for me.

i've heard that peppermint shrimp are less likely to eat aptasia than copperband butterflies, that's why i got the fish and not the shrimp. maybe i should get the shrimp also... that may increase my chances of ridding the tank of aptasia. thanks.

my copperband died this morning. i'm not sure why. it didn't look like he was eating what i was giving him, but i thought that if he was going to starve himself, then eventually he'd go for the aptasia. i guess he wasn't the type to eat aptasia :(

This product has been getting a lot of attention over at Reef Central. Don't know if you can get it here, or have to order direct from the supplier, but I've been thinking about giving it a try.

http://www.joesjuice.com

aiptasia
 

Sorry about your copperband butterflyfish. I have never owned one ,but I have read the trick to them is to get them to aclimate and eat . It seems reasonable that a well fed and adjusted butterfly would be motivated to eat aiptasia, after fasting, but aclimate and fatten him up a little first. Once "trained" the word is they are aiptasia eating machines...and then some small polyps, tubeworms,zenia.... etc, depending on the individual fish. The best obligate aiptasia eater is a nudibranch called: Berghia verrucicornis.
here is a couple of sites you might find helpful:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/in...a/aiptasia.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nudifaqs.htm
From one rookie to another,
John

sorry about your CBB I'd love to keep one but I like small polyps, etc and hear they will eat the polyps. For aiptasia I just squirt a bit of white vinegar on them, do it again the next day on what ever bit of stump is left and that's one dead pest.

Doug

does white vinegar hurt the other fish in the tank? and also... how are you able to squirt it on the aptasia underwater? with a hospital type needle?

Sorry for not being clear, I just use a dispenser from the Sea Chem stuff, a syringe from the drug stor will work as well. I've not seen any thing else bothered by the vinegar, lots of people use Kalk paste with out any trouble too. I just find the vinegar is easy and quick. Just make sure you are as close to the aiptasia as you can get, if it shrinks down into a hole and you can see the hole you can still squirt it but you'll definately need to follow up the next day. Best if you can get a tiny needle and put it right into the pest. Some people say you have to remove the dead aiptasia after you kill it, I never did.

Doug