Reef-safe aiptasia eater?

[fishmanstan]

i have a 120 i bought used close to a year now that came with LR infested with aiptasia. i have aiptasia x that keeps it away, but i see like 5 polyps i have to get evry month or so. I was wondering if there is such thing as a 100% coral safe fish that voraciously eats aiptasia.? Ive heard copperband 'flies, matted files, and i tried a kleins 'fly, but he discovered a liking for zoas (bad choice) so he has been long gone.
thanks.

 

[DustyReefer]

Not to my recollection sorry. I'm thinking if you like your corals, and would like to keep them then the aiptasia-x is your best route. If aiptasia was that easy to get rid of we wouldn't consider it a plague on our systems haha

 

[fishmanstan]

Yeah. I hate to keep buying these aiptasia x bottles. I would get berghia nudis, but I'm afraid my yellow coris wrasse or my cleaner shrimp would eat them.

 

[fishmanstan]

Bump

 

[jackde]

I myself have not had any, knock on wood. My son's 75 was loaded with them. He injected the large ones with lemon juice and 2 pepermint shrimp took care of the rest. Hasen't seen one in over a year.

 

[fishmanstan]

Ok. Anyone else?

 

[rssjsb]

As you've discovered, fish that eat these guys can't always be trusted with corals. I always had the same experience with chemical treatments, too. Plus they can mess with your water chemistry in ways that are bad for other things you want.

I've always had good luck with peppermint shrimp.

 

[Rapide]

If the yellow coris is the apex predator in your reef, then I guess you could try some shrimps. Just be sure you get the right ones... Lysmata wurdemanni would be #1, but Lysmata seticaudata and kuekenthali will also eat aiptasia.

 

[fishmanstan]

Alright. Are there any visual differences between the pep shrimp species? Would 2-3 be enough?

 

[nonimmigrant]

I myself have not had any, knock on wood. My son's 75 was loaded with them. He injected the large ones with lemon juice and 2 pepermint shrimp took care of the rest. Hasen't seen one in over a year.

+1 on using a hyperdermic and lemon juice. They die a couple of days thereafter. I also have 7 peppermints in the tank to take care of whatever else I can't see.

 

[fishmanstan]

I have heard pep shrimps will eat zoas or other corals also.. has anyone had this? Do you think its true?

 

[Big E]

Muelleri copperband is by far your best choice. Won't harm corals of any kind, they're hardy & destroy aiptasia.

They will eat all worms, like feather dusters, ect.

 

[Rapide]

http://suite101.com/article/peppermint-shrimp-imposters-a42649