copper banded butterfly

[Randy1]

Anyone had luck with a copper banded butter fly fish for controlling aiptasia?

[kevin2000]

Considered an expert only fish .. tough to keep.

[thor32766]

also they arent a lock to eat your aptasia. I had one for two years and she never looked at it. Its a hit or miss and they are a tougher fish to keep.

[Nami19]

agreed, this is no guarantee they will eat the aptasia. If you don't have any fish that would on it, why don't you consider adding a peppermint shrimp?

[sugartooth]

I have one that didn't start eating aiptasia until 2 months. It was on some live rock that I put into the QT. Once he started it was gone very quickly. I tried peps first but the peps didn't do anything.

[bveselka]

my sister had a major aptasia problem- she got the copperband and within a 1.5-2 week period all aptasia were gone!!! the only problem- he nips at all her other coral! LFS says they will trade out with her. I read that you need at least a 2-3 inch fish to get the job done. anything smaller wont make m;uch of an effect. she has a very established aquarium and the copperband is thriving.

[Randy1]

Ok. Thats what I was afraid of maybe I'll look at somthing else.

[acer]

A Raccoon is much easier to keep and the one I had loved atips.

[Randy1]

pick at corals much?

[acer]

I kept mine in another tank and just moved my live rock over and he ate like a pig on anything that was alive - not reef safe!!!!!!

[b_mattias]

it's not worth it even if they eat it, mine did it also ate all of the tentacles on the snails so they were pretty much useless. Look awesome though but go with the peppermint shrimp (I haven't tried it) if I could do it again I would try that instead

[westcoastreef]

mine killed all of the featherdusters the first week, then went for the aiptasia, has killed all of it, I know he aiptasia is in the system still, it grows in my sump, so he is constantly doing an absolutely great job!

[westcoastreef]

no coral eating either, he goes for mysis out of my hand, I think if you can get a good specimen your fine. Always make sure your LFS can take fish back though, any fish that you have a problem with they should be fine with taking.

[SARBoy]

Hard fish to keep and just for a aiptasia problem not the right choice. get a pep shrimp and cycle the rocks with the problem through a tank with the shrimp in, or be prepared to lose any xena's. Or if yo have too much xena put it in your display as a means to get it under control.

[dadonoflaw]

like most fish that are used as natural controls there is a chance it wont work or will backfire on you. i had one that cleaned my whole tank and never touched corals or clams and died from ich that a dag on tang bought. so i would say only attempt it if you are able to get him out if necessary. great fish once settled but make sure he is eating before purchase and quarantine as they are prone to lymphocitis

[Serioussnaps]

Get about 10 peppermint shrimp......problem solved. Usually if you have to ask this question you are not in a position to sustain a CBB over a long period of time.

[Randy1]

I had a peepermint shrimp. He went into the rock work and I never saw it again. I think he became and expensive meal for something in my tank.

[orientalexpress]

same here,i put 10 peppermints in my tank all my wrasses went after it like a buffet.