adding CBB - aiptasia filter ???

K' Family Reef

New member
hello

posted this in the reef fish forum
but thought would post it here to get any additional insights on the matter.

we are planning on adding a CBB into our system
since adding a pistol - our 6 peppermints and a fireshrimp have all vanished...

and thus 'aiptasia gone wild!'

bec intending to add CBB
have been letting the aiptasia spread/grow - bec figured if going to add a fish that has such dismal survival rates in captivity - atleast would give it a jumpstart in our system!



w/ that in mind...

intend on allowing aiptasia to continue to grow
throughout the fuge and sump area where it is already looking like an 'aiptasia filter'...

have also read a bit about aiptasia filters
and by doing this there could 'potentially' be multiple benefits to this system - interesting to see aiptasia eating chunks of xenia that have broken off as well as other things they can get out of the water column... iow using aiptasia as a filter 'accessorie' seems to be valid! (question is how many are necessary to make a difference to water column and to justify doing it)...

so in addition to any filtering benefit
they would also serve as a continued/replenished source of sustenance for the CBB - perhaps providing the necessary whatever it is (nutrients! natural diet) to successfully rear this fish in our system...

vs
using a 'uv filter' after the aiptasia filter to keep the aiptasia out of the main display - which as understand it is typically what is recom when deciding to try the A/F to prevent them from spreading to main display area

in theory this sounds like a good idea
and if it proves to be successful might be an 'approach' to take when deciding to keep one of these fish - as well as when choosing to add an aiptasia filter- sort of symbiotic relationship

success being the CBB keeps any/all aiptasia from the main display and away from the corals - as well as (perhaps) provided the CBB doesnt bother any of the corals.


has anyone already tried this ???

thoughts on this 'method' ???

sound insane ???
:bum:
 
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Sounds like a wicked idea though i have no aiptasia in my tak i wouldnt know how to seed the sump...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11486589#post11486589 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Twz
Sounds like a wicked idea though i have no aiptasia in my tak i wouldnt know how to seed the sump...

wicked idea ay ??
;)

wait a few weeks/mos - if you have live rock then you will have aiptasia!

do you have a copperband ??

regards
 
I've had 2 CCB over three years.

They both starved themselves overtime and yet weren't interested in the aiptasia.

What did it for me were Berghia nudibranches.They took care of the small aiptasia and kalk in a syringe took care of the large ones.
 
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Copperband Butterfly fish: may or may not be reef safe depending on the fish, may or likely will not eat aiptasia, probably will not eat and survive. Your odds of getting a reef safe one that WILL eat aiptasia AND will survive, is pretty low.

Berghia nudibranchs WILL work if you are patient.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11487274#post11487274 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WarrenAmy&Maddy
wicked idea ay ??
;)

wait a few weeks/mos - if you have live rock then you will have aiptasia!

do you have a copperband ??

regards
I had one awhile ago then had my tank crash (To hot in the summer tank reached nearly 40 decrease )
But i havnt seen one in my tank, ever right now im runing a 33 gallon with a 20 gallon sump both with more then recommended specs for live rock
Im moving up to a 65 gallon
and another thing you said was putting a uv sterilizer after the refuge would that kill anything beneficial to my tank?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11487334#post11487334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steve1963
I've had 2 CCB over three years.

They both starved themselves overtime and yet weren't interested in the aiptasia.

What did it for me were Bergehti nudibranches.They took care of the small aiptasia and kalk in a syringe took care of the large ones.

if you had 2 of them for over 3 years
that is not too bad

does anyone know the lifespan of these fish???

they may have lived out their lives in your tank!

either way
from what i have read others report - your 'stats' on keeping these fish far outweigh theirs - which it seems like if the fish lived a year in their system that was 'good'.

so you are saying they were not eating all the aiptasia in your system?

regards
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11487450#post11487450 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Twz
I had one awhile ago then had my tank crash (To hot in the summer tank reached nearly 40 decrease )
But i havnt seen one in my tank, ever right now im runing a 33 gallon with a 20 gallon sump both with more then recommended specs for live rock
Im moving up to a 65 gallon
and another thing you said was putting a uv sterilizer after the refuge would that kill anything beneficial to my tank?


from what have read re creating an aiptasia filter
this is what these folks do to keep the aiptasia from spreading their dna into the main display tank.

after researching the use of UV
i personally opted out of ever using one - iow there is a lot of debate about their effectiveness (same type debate as w/ using garlic or carbon)...
 
Sorry,

what I meant I had two over a three year period.Not at the same time and probable a year between them.The first lasted less than a year and the second probably six months.
 
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