[wtd] Cobberband butterfly fish

Selwyn123

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Hi guys, I have an aptasia problem, and have tried peppermint shrimp which have proved useless. Anyone in PE have a copperband i can lend/buy?
 
Just make sure you have the right pepperment shrimp. Some LFS'es sell pshrimp which is not the real maccoy.... The real one is called Lysmata Wurdemanni. There are a few Lysmata species that looks like this, but not completely, and some will not even eat Aptasia. A common one frequenting our shops are the Catalina cleaner shrimp, mistaken for the true peppershrimp, although it is almost double the size....
I have yet to come across a true pepperment shrimp NOT eating Aptasia and other Cnidarians.
 
Also, have heard you need more than one at a time, am I correct @seank? Copperbands are not 100% full proof in zapping your aiptasia and if they do, most likely they wont eat any other food you try and give them, so they will eventually die of starvation once your Aiptasia are gone.. Try AiptasiaX, not sure if you have, I know it's a real schlep!:(
 
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My opinion... 2 is enough. I am not a fan of copperbands, as i had bad luck on all of them.
By the way, there are cheaper ways to get rid of aptasia, sitting in your kitchen pantry, instead of using the commercial types of aptasia control, having the same ingredients as what you find in your pantry
 
I'm using vinegar. Using a insulin injection. It got a very thin needle. But you can only a certain amount of aiptasia per day. Use 1ml vinegar per 100L total system volume. It is a carbon source so read up on Vodka dosing (same thing).
 
Thanks guys, but lemon juice won't work, i have far too many. My peppermints are those that you mentioned @seank, not camel shrimp. These chemical methods scare me, i have far too many sps and other corals, so a biological solution would be preferred. I will try and get a pic of the shrimp, they are not big, the biggest is about 3cm in length.
 
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Copperbands are beautiful fish but come with the following - talking from experience:

1. The can and will start munching you brains or softies
2. The destroy your feather dusters
3. They tricky to get onto frozen food mysis is the best I have found.

After all they are butterfly fish....
 
1. The can and will start munching you brains or softies
2. The destroy your feather dusters
3. They tricky to get onto frozen food mysis is the best I have foun

Mine even takes a sneaky peck at my Squamosa clam every so often.
 
My CB is my favourite fish. I had aiptasia prob big time. i tried pepper shirmps. yes I had the real ones never quite did the job. berghia nudi's are the best but near impossible to get had these to but I killed them accidentally when I moved my system from one house the other. (Dont ask.- this still pains me to this day.).

I got my CB about 2 years ago. I cannot say it was a mistake. it has never nipped any of my lps of sps.
it has not eaten my clams or pissed off any of its tank mates. I will say that it did however devour my feather dusters recently more than a 2 years down the line. but he is looking a little hungry.

That said. My CB does not eat anything I add to my tank the mere fact that it is alive astonishes me everyday. I have a system that is almost 100% stable and I do nothing to it.
I assume that my system is big enough to provide food for it (Pods, mysis ?). I have not had aiptasia in my tank for about 18 Months and it is awesome.

Please only buy this fish if it is eating already or if you have a well established tank that can sustain it.

Good Luck.

Pity you not in Durbs or I would say just bring your rocks here and watch them disappear in front of your eyes - Like magic ;)
 
....Pity you not in Durbs or I would say just bring your rocks here and watch them disappear in front of your eyes - Like magic ;)
WOW...can I take you up on that offer...:drool5:...:blush:...I've got Aiptasia coming out of my ears, but I don't do anything to remove it as I've a small 58L and I'm forever panicking about stressing my Fishy's...:(
 
hey Belinda Sure no worries. as long as you dont have any other issues that I could introduce to my tanks. lol

PM me and I will come round and have a look at your tank. I stay in Kloof.
 
The aptasia has seem to calm for now, dont see many new ones. I am still hoping my peppermints eradicate the problem, just waiting and seeing. No copperbands around here still, so if anyone in PE gets news it would be great to notify me :)
 
Thats Great Selwyn. you must have got enough Peppies to do the job. no need for a CB.
If you are not noticing any new ones then you will slowly start to notice the lack of existing ones.

Dont get a CB it will die due to competing food source.

Let your peppies do there job and hope that you will not have my problem trying to farm aiptasia to feed your new inhabitants. for me its obv the CB.

I have heard that once peppermint shrimps have depleted there food source they will begin to farm aiptasia to keep themselves going. This is generally ok because they dont really like to eat the big ones so as long as the shrimps are there you will never really see aiptasia. This is just something I heard though I could be wrong.
 
well guys just an update. Something in the tank seems to have eaten the peppermint shrimps... could it be the nennie?? Aptasia problem has flared up again, could really use some sort of solution right now. tried vinegar today, 1ml per every 100l, will try again in 2 days time
 
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