Aiptasia eating butterfly fish
 

I was thinking there are a few different butterfly fish that are known aiptasia eaters. Copperbands for sure being one of them, however CBB's are notoriously tricky and while I have had some success with them I'd rather find a hardier aiptasia eating butterfly for my 80g. I had a filefish which was eating the aiptasia but he slowed down with eating them after awhile and is presumed dead now since it's been well over a month since I last saw him.

I have mushrooms and maxi mini anemones in my 80g, so I'd like to eventually get a butterfly that eats aiptasia but not maxi minis. While doing some research I found or have heard that these butterflies (other then CBB's) will eat aiptasia:

Raccoon
Klein's
Threadfin
Burgess
Latticed
Longnose
Saddleback
Pyramid

The problem is some people say the above do, and some people say they don't. So I'm not sure what to believe. Also read the some of the above will eat aiptasia but also will eat mushroom anemones (I'm assuming they mean maxi minis) Anyone have any ideas or experiences? Please share thanks :biggrin:

bannerfish
 

bannerfish

Every fish is going to be hit or miss whether or not they will eat aiptasia or pick at corals. I used to have a sailfin tang that loved aiptasia. I have heard next to the copperband the kleins are the most successful. Why don't you get Doug to throw a butterfly in a tank with mushrooms and aiptasia at work and see if the fish eats it. Aquarium illusions threw my cooperband now into a tank with corals and aiptasia and left it for a weekend for me. What I have also seen is people calling any mushroom, mushroom anemones. Seems to be a common thing especially in the states.

I didn't think bannerfish ate aiptasia? Did/do you own one or know of one that did?

So true about hit or miss, I just thought I'd see if it was more of a hit with some then others.

Makes sense about the mushroom comparison since they are similar. I don't really care about my plain mushrooms but there are some nice ric's in there that I don't want eaten and of course my maxi minis.

Laurie, I think pretty much any butterfly except for the 2 or 3 reef safe groupings (pyramids and their cousins, bannerfish, and CBB's and their cousins) are going to be a reasonably sure thing for aiptasia .. it's just that when they say a butterfly might anything ... it truly is the case. You never know what they'll develop a taste for. What I've observed of keeping a few butterflies out of that list so far is that tentacles is where it's at. If it's got tentacles, a butterfly will want to sample said wares. Whether they just sample or decimate after that is pretty much a crapshoot.

Even my pyramids, who are mostly plankton feeders, occasionally nip at my two gigantea carpets. That said they leave the maximini alone.

My ulietensis butterfly (had 2 but down to 1 now) will destroy any aiptasia and majano he sees but I had to put him in a FOWLR because he just did too much damage to everything else. LPS, SPS, gorgonians .. only thing he never sampled were clams and again I think this is due to the fact that clams don't usually show tentacly/dangly bits. That said both were model citizens while there were lots of aiptasia to go around and it was easily 6 months before the other damage started becoming evident. So if a temporary arrangement is OK for you (with a FOWLR in the picture after that), I'd totally recommend these as they are awesome fish.

Other butterflies you should look into - Pakistani or redtail, semilarvatus, and yellow long nose. I'm pretty sure all 3 of these will eat aiptasia while being a 50/50 on the "everything else" part. Actually I think the longnose are supposed to be about the same as a CBB, quite safe in a reef usually. Never tried one myself though.

Ultimately, it's a risk no matter what, but it can be a calculated risk.

I only have mushrooms, ric's and maxi minis in my 80g no other coral. Thanks for the info Tony.

I read your title I thought "wow! that must be one hell of an aiptasia! isn't it usually the other way round?" :lol:

Ok, joking aside, it's almost, but not quite 'hit or miss' when it comes to butterflies.

In my experience Raccoons are a decent bet with long nose & some heniochus other safe bets, but generally, the more 'reef safe' the butterfly fish are said to be, the less chance that they'll quickly & effectively tackle your aiptasia problems.

I've kept Raccoons, Various Heniochus, Raffesi, Auriga, Red Tail, Chevron and various Saddlebacks all in reef environments and they've pretty much all eaten aitasia/majano without harming my clams or mini-maxi's. Like Tony says, this is probably due to lack of protuding dangly bits.

The degree of 'reef safe' the butterfy you choose could potentially be directly related to just how badly or quickly you want your aiptasia gone and how much you're willing to risk the other stuff in your tank in the process.

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As others have mentioned, any fish is hit or miss when it comes to Aiptasia, and I think your tank at 80 gallons is too small for any Butterflyfish anyway. I would rather suggest you try out 4 Peppermint shrimp. Try to get them from at least two different sources. Peppermints are hit or miss too, but at least they are only $10-15 each and don't add to the bioload so much. ...Or is there a Lionfish in this tank?? (looking at your sig)

lionfish.......her and her dumb arse "cant add this cuz of this and cant add that cuz of that" fish:razz:......sorry babe couldnt resist:wink:

I agree with Mindy (and you know this already).....80g is too small for a flutterbye.....

swap the rock over to the 230g and let the copperband do his thing:wink:

There's an idea. :mrgreen: Call it a "Feeding Station" and then it will be cool. ;)