Aptasia Eating Fish

F

fio1022

New member
Over the years I have prided myself that my tanks have always been Aptasia free.
Unfortunately that is no longer true :(
I do battle with these guys using a kalkwasser paste on a weekly basis.I don't think I'm going to win the war using this method.
I know there are a few species of fish that will eradicate them.Just don't know enough about any of them.
I'm looking for some input,pros and cons,on which will do the job efficiently.Hopefully not killing anything else in the process.
My tank is predominantly sps with a few lps and zoas here and there.
Any help making a choice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I've had luck with both file fish and CBB. One file fish only ate mojanos though, both went after zoas once the mojanos/aptasia started to disappear. The CBB has been great but knowing this fish is delicate it spent 6 months is QT, first getting to eat frozen then introducing more aggressive eaters. He's now in the main display, wiped out all the aptasia and goes after food as aggressively as everyone else now.
 
Thinking about tryin the berghia route. Just haven't pulled the trigger. Have a tank in basement set up just to grow aptasia
 
The nudis worked for me as well, downside is they only live around a year so you'll need multiple to keep them going along with small aptasia to keep the babies from being eaten.
 
qy7400 said:
I've had luck with both file fish and CBB. One file fish only ate mojanos though, both went after zoas once the mojanos/aptasia started to disappear. The CBB has been great but knowing this fish is delicate it spent 6 months is QT, first getting to eat frozen then introducing more aggressive eaters. He's now in the main display, wiped out all the aptasia and goes after food as aggressively as everyone else now.
Click to expand...

Sorry for my ignorance. CBB?
 
I have gone to vinegar injections when needed.
Works just as well & will not clog the needle.
Some even use lemon juice.
CBB are so finicky I would use a filefish.
 
never had luck with a CCB so Ive been using a Filefish for last few years....eats all my aiptasia in all those hard to reach places to inject them and doesn't eat any corals. I believe is because I feed my tank heavily with all the Anthias and fish I have....
 
I tried Nudis twice to no avail. Cost quite a bit for the experiment.
Aptasia X, Kalk, blah, blah, etc.

Only solution that worked was a $29 Matted File Fish.
Great fish and does not pick on corals(acans,zoos), eats Mysis like candy.

Picked up mine from Tropical Island. I thought I also saw one in Pest Warehouse last week.
 
I picked up a filefish from LA. It didn't appear to touch my aiptasia, but my tank is currently a 100 gallon stock tank. Seeing your thread made me check closely, and I can't find a single aiptasia.
 
Yes. get rid of the filefish after it eats all the aiptasia. I had two and they got rid of the aiptasia fast and ate pretty much all types of food. however, ... mine wiped out my acans, favia after the aiptasia were gone.
 
I bought a mated pair of matted file fish from live aquaria and they wouldn't even look at aiptasia, previous specimen was glad to wipe out entire shelf of zoanthids

These guys are hit and miss. Good luck.
 
Filefish will clean up any aiptasia but seem to love Acans as well. I agree with swhobbie. Get rid of em once aiptasia is gone.
 
Yeah I had a major Majano and Aptasia and the file fish took care of it well but ate all my tiny snails, limpets and my cleaner shrimp. Basically any crustacean that is small. After that he died even with heavy mysis feeding.I still have one in my sump. He floats on top like hes dead to watch me. Its kinda of amazing. Guess he wants his eye out of the water to see me better.

Tom
 
Another option is spotfin butterfly. There are hundreds in our local waters right now and they devour aiptasia. but will eat coral also.
 
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