Aptasia eating Filefin

[stormystormy11]

I had a small outbreak of aptasia which I was controlling with aptasia X but decided to try a natural way so after a lot of reading decided to go for the file fin. I would of got a peppermint shrimp but I have some nice yellow polyps on a rock that it might eat. He has been in my tank for about 3 weeks yet and hasn't ate any aptasia that I can see. He is a pretty cool fish but probably shouldn't of added another fish to my 75. He was shy at first but loves to show off now. He doesn't seem to bother any of my corals and loves what ever frozen food I feed the other fish. I would recomend this fish in a non aggresive tank but not as an aptasia eater! What should I try now?

 

[marcah]

to bad that he didnt help the problem.. I know that they are known to eat it, just watch any coral you may put it it may nip at them also.. The only other natural predator I can think of is peppermint shrimp but they are hit and miss also..

 

[Northstar24]

For aipstaisa control you have various filefish, peppermint shrimp, and many butterfly fish

The problem with both types of fish and the shrimp is that there is never a guarantee that they will eat it, only that they have been documented to eat it. Since each fish is unique it is entirely possible you get one that doesn't care for the aipstasia

I went against the recommendatons of many and decided to try a copperband butterfly for the aipstaisa issues that I have been having - but I did a lot of research and have had luck with several other difficult to keep fish. While copperband butterfly's are often sold as the solution to apstaisia problems, mine has yet to eat any of it in my tank

 

[Bifferwine]

It's about a 50/50 shot that peppermint shrimp will eat them. I recommend adding a lot of them, because odds are only a few will actually touch the aiptasia.

I think the possibility of giving up yellow polyps is worth it in exchange for an aiptasia free tank. The filefish may also take a liking to your corals. It's the same risk you take with those guys.

 

[bazza1979]

i have had a really bad out break of aptisia and bought a brisstle file fish the same as yourself and only seen him take more interest in eating my polyps and he feeds on shrimp, flake and anything else but aptisia.... so went and bought 2 peppermint shrimps that in 3 months i only seen about twice and aptisia still no better so decided to try a coperband butterfly fish but sadly lost him being to difficult to keep ... in the end used aptisia x with good results i have halved the number of those horrible anenomes going to treat again in a week !!! so as they say its a 50/50 chance if they will eat them due to them getting food at feed time so the dont eat what they do in the wild