Are my clams safe with a Copperband?

[tc180Reef]

I have out of control aptasia and have tried Joes juice, kalk injections, boiling water injections, and peppermint shrimp to help rid the pest, but these methods are not working well at all.

My LFS recommended a Copperband butterfly, which reading many posts seams to be the answer, but I am concerned it may mess with my clams. I read that it likes to eat mussels and clams.

My clams are at least 5" in size. I have T.Maxima, T.Crocea and T.Giga clams. Tank size is a 180gal. I would rather keep trying Joes juice, etc if the Copperband is going to mess with my Tridacna clams.

I understand the Copperband will also eat fanworms and most any other type of worms too. I am not too overly concerned about this, but do like my filter feeders.

Thanks for feedback and suggestions.

 

[dhoch]

I have 2 large clams (5-8") in my 180 with my CBB he has not bothered my clams.

They can be nippers so proceed with caution.

Dave

 

[raddogz]

I just bought a cbb, and it hasn't taken to prepared food as far as I can tell. However, when lights were out it liked the candy cane coral tentacles a lot.

 

[ScubaTC]

btw: tc180Reef is a newer account I setup because I forgot my old account info UNTIL NOW.

Are CBBs known for picking at corals or wiping out a colony overnight? My tank has LPS, SPS and softies too.

I really need to tackle the aptasia problem and am thinking the CCB is the best way to go since the other methods are not working. But I don't want to put something in the tank that will harm my corals and will be very hard to catch and remove.

Thanks!

 

[ScubaTC]

dhoch,

What does your CCB eat?

 

[raddogz]

I threw in a bunch of peppermints and they wiped out the aipstasia's my 58g and 7g without a hitch.

When I was looking into the tank trying to see if the @#$$%% was feeding (I've been stressed out all week cuz I can't tell if it's eating or not), it decided to swim up the candy cane coral and nipped at it - not once but twice. I have since moved the coral elsewhere. I have millepora's that are in the vicinity and it doesn't seem interested in them (for now)

 

[ScubaTC]

How many peppermints in your 58gal raddogz? I put about 6 or 7 in my 180. I didn't want to add too many as I wasn't sure if they could become a problem and eat things I don't want them to eat.

I think they are eating fish food uneaten by the fish because they are not touching the apstasia. They are never out while the lights are on and rarley seen with the lights off. I saw one on my feeding ring one night picking flake off of it and another that steals food while direct feeding my brain and ricordea.

 

[dhoch]

My CBB eats a bunch of prepared foods...

I started him out on mussels. I would open one and attach to a Nori clip. I would keep it only open enough so he could get his snout in and none of my other fish could... He took to that pretty quickly.

Now I have a worm feeder that I widend the holes in a couple of places so he can get his snout in.

I feed him:
Chopped Mussels
Chopped Shrimp
Mysis Shrimp

Dave

 

[ScubaTC]

Thanks for the info! Worm feeder?

 

[raddogz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6725744#post6725744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ScubaTC
How many peppermints in your 58gal raddogz? I put about 6 or 7 in my 180. I didn't want to add too many as I wasn't sure if they could become a problem and eat things I don't want them to eat.

I think they are eating fish food uneaten by the fish because they are not touching the apstasia. They are never out while the lights are on and rarley seen with the lights off. I saw one on my feeding ring one night picking flake off of it and another that steals food while direct feeding my brain and ricordea.

I put in three in the 58g, and I put in four in 7g.

 

[raddogz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6725908#post6725908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhoch
My CBB eats a bunch of prepared foods...

I started him out on mussels. I would open one and attach to a Nori clip. I would keep it only open enough so he could get his snout in and none of my other fish could... He took to that pretty quickly.

Now I have a worm feeder that I widend the holes in a couple of places so he can get his snout in.

I feed him:
Chopped Mussels
Chopped Shrimp
Mysis Shrimp

Dave

Dave - can I get a pic of the worm feeder?

 

[dhoch]

I won't be able to get a picture till tonight, but to breifly describe it... it's a cone with an open top and a suction cup that attachs to one side.

It has small holes all up and down it... too small for a CBB snout, but I made a handful bigger. I put food in the top and cover it with a bit of mesh and a rubberband to hold the mesh on.

Dave

 

[dhoch]

As an alternative to waiting for a pic.... goto my tank website: http://www.danj.com/reef

Then go to the tank webcam page and look at the webcam... you can move the webcam by clicking on the picture. If you move to the left so you are looking at the front pane of the tank... if it's not allready there you should see the worm feeder attached to the front pane.

If you still want a pic, post here and I'll make sure I get one tonight.

Dave

 

[ScubaTC]

dhoch,

You have a very nice setup and website to show the details. I'll have to spend some time reading about your setup and connecting it to your LAN. Interfacing my tanks components into my wireless LAN and web server is something that I have been interested in doing, but not too sure about which controllers have the better features for this. My concern was how programmable are the controllers and are they using old technology that is hard to integrate for internet use. Looks like it is working great for you!

Thanks for sharing your site.

 

[dhoch]

ScubaTC,

Feel free to PM (or email me with any questions)...

Dave

 

[raddogz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6729304#post6729304 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhoch
As an alternative to waiting for a pic.... goto my tank website: http://www.danj.com/reef

Then go to the tank webcam page and look at the webcam... you can move the webcam by clicking on the picture. If you move to the left so you are looking at the front pane of the tank... if it's not allready there you should see the worm feeder attached to the front pane.

If you still want a pic, post here and I'll make sure I get one tonight.

Dave

Thanks, I'll go check it out tomorrow morning. The three hour time difference would answer why the tank is dark. LOL