Best fish for eating aptaisa
- Thread starter LooseHip
- Start date
I was thinking of trying a raccoon/klein butterfly (only corals I have are anemones in baskets). But maybe a file fish would be a better choice?? I had a few peppermints in the tank a while ago and they did great before I let it get out of control 
. but I am not sure they will work now maybe I am wrong.
jda if I am unable to find a good fish to do the job I might be interested in buying some berghia's from you.
. but I am not sure they will work now maybe I am wrong. jda if I am unable to find a good fish to do the job I might be interested in buying some berghia's from you.
Peppermints can scavenge and live even after aips are gone - they need fed and you should see them eat like you see the fish eat. They also need iodine at NSW levels to molt properly, so if you don't change water or use a low quality reef salt, then they can be short lived. IME, they will not tackle the large ones - you need to knock those back yourself with some kalk or joes juice.
I have a copperband right now that will eat the aips on one side of the tank, but not the other. The peppermints will only go within about 2 feet of their cave/burrow which leaves a few feet of reef where nothing will eat 'em. I don't have a lot, but enough that I have to go injecting kalk.
If you have a FO tank, just about any butterfly will destroy them. Saddleback are cheap and will really do the job.
People sometimes get rid of their fish/shrimp/whatever once the aips are gone. The aips will likely come back. Nothing will eat all of 'em, so just keep your consumer around.
I have a copperband right now that will eat the aips on one side of the tank, but not the other. The peppermints will only go within about 2 feet of their cave/burrow which leaves a few feet of reef where nothing will eat 'em. I don't have a lot, but enough that I have to go injecting kalk.
If you have a FO tank, just about any butterfly will destroy them. Saddleback are cheap and will really do the job.
People sometimes get rid of their fish/shrimp/whatever once the aips are gone. The aips will likely come back. Nothing will eat all of 'em, so just keep your consumer around.
I've always like Peppermint Shrimp for good results. If you want to go the fish route, I've had great success with Keili Butterfly's, but with caution. The people that have had issues with Kleini's after they consumed their aiptasia is, I believe, lack of feeding a variety of foods later. Kleini are voracious eaters and if not well feed at regular feedings (close to the same time I believe is important) will usually help themselves with what is available! With my years of experience and have sold thousands of Keili's, I would say about 20% have "misbehaved" in a reef system. As to Aiptasia Eating Filefish, I'd say it's more 50/50. Keep in mind that I've had Peppermint Shrimp also attack some "reef safe" starfish and had few customers report that once in a while even some corals too!