mattgumaer
New member
All,
I've got a 180 gallon reef with an aiptasia problem. I have 3 tangs of which a powder blue is the largest by far. It's been in the tank a little more than 1.5 years. I decided to try to add a copperband. I had one before in the tank for a couple of years but I lost it. I quarantined the copperband for about 5 weeks and then put it the display in an acclimation box. I left it in the box for two days, during which time nobody appeared to show any interest at all (in hindsight, I wish I left it in longer but I'm not sure it would have made any difference). As soon as the copperband was released, the powder blue chased it. I tried the mirror trick with no luck. I could not catch the copperband (or the powder blue) and lost the copperband.
I next turned to a handful of peppermint shrimp. I had recently added some relatively smaller skunk cleaners which my mystery wrasse doesn't bother. However, the peppermints apparently look more like food to my wrasse. I think it has taken one out and I expect the others will be 'live food' unless they stay deep within the rocks (and they may not be safe there).
So, I'm discouraged but thinking about trying a ORA matted filefish. I have added two fish (the mystery wrasse and an orchard dottyback) after the powder blue became king of the tank and it doesn't seem to care about either at all. I suspect the copperband was perceived to be a competitor while the wrasse and dottyback were not. Would a filefish be ignored or attacked? I really don't want to see another fish beat up but don't feel confident at this point that the acclimation box will tell me what is in store for the filefish once released into the tank. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Matt
I've got a 180 gallon reef with an aiptasia problem. I have 3 tangs of which a powder blue is the largest by far. It's been in the tank a little more than 1.5 years. I decided to try to add a copperband. I had one before in the tank for a couple of years but I lost it. I quarantined the copperband for about 5 weeks and then put it the display in an acclimation box. I left it in the box for two days, during which time nobody appeared to show any interest at all (in hindsight, I wish I left it in longer but I'm not sure it would have made any difference). As soon as the copperband was released, the powder blue chased it. I tried the mirror trick with no luck. I could not catch the copperband (or the powder blue) and lost the copperband.
I next turned to a handful of peppermint shrimp. I had recently added some relatively smaller skunk cleaners which my mystery wrasse doesn't bother. However, the peppermints apparently look more like food to my wrasse. I think it has taken one out and I expect the others will be 'live food' unless they stay deep within the rocks (and they may not be safe there).
So, I'm discouraged but thinking about trying a ORA matted filefish. I have added two fish (the mystery wrasse and an orchard dottyback) after the powder blue became king of the tank and it doesn't seem to care about either at all. I suspect the copperband was perceived to be a competitor while the wrasse and dottyback were not. Would a filefish be ignored or attacked? I really don't want to see another fish beat up but don't feel confident at this point that the acclimation box will tell me what is in store for the filefish once released into the tank. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Matt
The problem is that I tried to order one from LA and DD and they say that I need $39.99 min to place an order due to shipping. Well they have one on DD today for $24.99 and regular price of LA is $29.99. I even offered to pay them the extra so they would ship one to me. They will not do that. :hammer: 
