Copperband Butterfly Info Please

[Hiker4twenty]

As many of you already know I'm looking to add a new fish. I seem to be getting an infestation of aiptasia nems. It started off when I found 2 about the size of a dime last week. I bought some AiptasiaRx and killed them. I was just looking at the tank with the red light and I can see hundreds of baby ones about 1-2mm. They're too small and too many to inject. I have already put 6 pep shrimp in and they don't even care to touch them. I know a CBB will eat them like crazy.

Are they reef safe? The only thing I really care about are the corals. I don't want them to get eaten. Feathers and fan worms I could care less about. After the nems are gone what will they eat and how likely are they to eat frozen food? A nearby LFS has them readily available so I'd like to get asap if it will work out.

Thanks!

 

[Smitty]

It's a strong possibility that the copperband will go after the corals after all the anemones are gone.

 

[reeffreak]

Mine ate some clove polyps and possibly some zoas.It also took care of all the aiptasia and majanos.

 

[BL1]

There are three people that have them on my local reefers forum and all of them seem to have no problems with them. They all eat frozen foods and haven't gone after any of their corals, so far.

 

[dcantucson]

I think they will go after your corals Dave, especially as nice as yours look.:bowdown: They're even more tempting. Aiptasia-X worked on my tiny ones. You have to be really steady and drop a pinhead sized drop onto them.

 

[little_fish]

Also the peps will only eat the tiny ones, so if you take care of the big ones they should get the itty bitties. Plus with them being nocturnal i doubt you would ever see them actively taking care of them.

 

[irensing]

I've had luck with peps eating the small ones too. A CBB would probably not be a good idea for a reef tank. I'm pretty sure they are picky eaters too (unless they like your coral). Tell your LFS you just want to borrow him for a few days.

 

[Hiker4twenty]

Thanks for all the replies. I did some late night reading about CBB's and I'm pretty much going to stay away. They can be reef safe and more than likely will not botther the hard corals, but may pick at softies and LPS. They're also really hard to feed and require a specialized diet to thrive. Better left in the ocean IMO.

 

[OhNoNemo]

Thanks for all the replies. I did some late night reading about CBB's and I'm pretty much going to stay away. They can be reef safe and more than likely will not botther the hard corals, but may pick at softies and LPS. They're also really hard to feed and require a specialized diet to thrive. Better left in the ocean IMO.

I agree with you on that..they are awesome looking though

 

[Hiker4twenty]

They sure are.