Copperband; Aptasia bloom
 

Hey everyone, I have been seeing a lot of Aptasia on my rocks lately. Wondering if anyone has had any coral nipping issues with their Copperband Butterfly. I was told that they may start eating certain corals.

Cheers,

Romin

Just as it's hit and miss that they eat aiptasia it is hit and miss if they pick at corals. Primarily LPS and clams. Mine thankfully eats aiptasia but he also ate all of my mini carpet anemones. He's left other corals and BTA alone though.

If you do get one remember to qt at first, they can be tricky to get eating. (put some aiptasia in the qt as well).

My three year old copperband will eat 5 different species of LPS, gorgonian polyps and nearly all types of worm (bristle, fan, spaghetti). It also picks on clams. I feed it mysis twice a day.

Some copperbands will not help by eating aptasia. Many refuse to eat at all. Because of their poor survival record I would recommend you consider getting a peppermint shrimp which will do the job for you. Just take care to acclimate it slowly.
Good luck and thanks for asking before you buy.

I have an aiptasia problem, too and bought two peppermint shrimps last week, but only last for a few days. I tried couple times with shrimp but always eaten by something in my tank. I also tried copperband, but yellow tang was attacking it, and died. I never sucsess with any chemical. It just comes back more and more after injection. Anybody have any idea what is my next hope? I am thinking to try filefish but I don't know, my current fishes like it. My fishes are yellow tang, six line wrasse, maroon clown, bangai cardinal and banded pipefish in 90 gal tank.
Thanks　

My copperband ate all the aiptasia except a huge one...then lost the taste for it and now they are overgrowing the tank again to the point where I need to use aiptasiaX.

He does not eat any of my coral nor my crocea clam. Does not pick at any of my gorgonian polyp nor my maxi mini anemone but he's very well fed and really fat.

I think the trick to the good behavial of the copperband is to provide live food. I give mine live fresh mussel and live white worms enrich with Selcon. No wonder he does not care for the aiptasia any longer.

I don't see the point of buying this fish just to get rid of aiptasia though, as it is a hit and miss. I think peppermint shrimps are probably a better bet and getting rid of the large ones with aiptasiaX. Copperband are a bit of trouble to take care of and sometime they need to be fed with dedication...mine does. I bought the fish because I really wanted one, not just because of the aiptasias. I also have tons of pods in my aquarium and the copperband is eating quite a bit of it.

Joe's juice is wicked good for aptasia. Got some at Marine Aquaria in Edmonton. Easy to use too...

I tried joe's Juice, and my aiptasia was gone for a week and come back double again.

I have had a file fish do great things with not colateral damage so far. Neet fish to have as well.

i purchased a filefish for the exact same reason as well, however the opposite occurred, nip marks on my sps, also caught it nipping at my open brain which already had tons of "bites" from him already...
immediately relocated him to the sump, dont know if he is still living now lol