anyone have berghia nudibranch?or copperbanded butterfly?

sharkboy1410 · 12-18-2005, 04:15 PM

sorry if spelling is off, but i bought a coral from capbay that ended up being loaded with aptasia, i wouls like to get one to get rid of these pests. or a copperbanded butterfly, does anyone have one in a reef tank?

sharkboy1410 · 12-18-2005, 04:59 PM

has anyone had sucess with a coppernbanded butterfly in a reef tank, i might try, i need to control the aptasia outbreak.

apologeticus · 12-18-2005, 05:26 PM

The guy at coralsandbar.com is located somewhere south of ATL and I'm pretty sure he has them. you could check the website

phishschtick · 12-18-2005, 05:58 PM

I have found the copperbands to be very finicky eaters. Make sure if you buy one (like with all fish) that it is eating at the LFS. Also it helps to buy the same food if possible. Just my experience.... I'm sure others may suggest differently

sharkboy1410 · 12-18-2005, 06:13 PM

thanks for the advice

dave_atl · 12-18-2005, 11:12 PM

don't waste your money, just take a syringe filled with a strong kalkwasser solution and inject them.

sharkboy1410 · 12-19-2005, 04:37 PM

they wont sit there while you inject them, they return to the crevice's they're in. How about a peppermint shrimp, does anyone have one of those.

ASunshine · 12-19-2005, 05:53 PM

Fish Store and More has several very nice copperband Butterflys. Dale is right, they are very finicky eaters but will take care of the Aptasia. They sometimes will graze on zooanthids and other polyps, feather dusters, etc. There are not aggressive but you have to be patient to get them to eat.

traip93 · 12-19-2005, 06:29 PM

I'd take the coral out of the tank and return it or throw it away, not worth the hastle.....

Rick O · 12-19-2005, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by traip93

I'd take the coral out of the tank and return it or throw it away, not worth the hastle.....

Yup, I agree. Can you remove the coral from the rock it came on and put it on another rock? Not much point in buying a fish just to clean up one rock. OTOH a peppermint shrimp isn't a bad addition to a reef tank anyways, but it may not eat the aips.

sharkboy1410 · 12-19-2005, 06:47 PM

they're spreading though, its not one rock now, its on a zoa rock, and a ricordea rock, and have spread to surrounding rocks, what is your best advice?

traip93 · 12-19-2005, 06:54 PM

how long have you had the coral?

I wouldn't count on anything eating them. It's hit or miss and not worth the purchases.

YOu are going to have to kill them one at a time and it takes a little effort to kill one of these. KIll them as you see them, they spread like wild fire and it sounds like they already have.

Are you sure they didn't come on the LR?

grdavis · 12-19-2005, 07:07 PM

Ross,

As posted earlier, you can use Kalk, or my favorite is White vinegar. Use a diabetic's new clean 20 Guage needle and syringe available at a drugstore. I know they will not sit still, but you just jam it into the aptasia's piehole and fill her up. If he retracts into the rock, just jam the needle down the hole. About 5CC' s will get'er done... I've never had one survive. This is much better that introducing something else that will just eat and poop. Hope it helps.

Glenn

sharkboy1410 · 12-19-2005, 07:12 PM

the coral is on LR, both of them, well, i went in the tank with scissors, and cut the whole entire area of where the aptasia was, and literally destroyed most of them, i'll check for more

grdavis · 12-19-2005, 07:38 PM

The Edwards Scissorhands method might work. I'd be afraid you might have just fragged them instead. I know an anemone can be forced to split by inducing a laceration across it's foot and main body. Let us know if this method works. As a Marine, I mostly prefer a small piece of C-4. I always end up flooding the house with that method......