Intentionally Adding Aiptasia to Reef for Copperband Butterfly

[Memphis]

So I had a small amount of Aiptasia popping up in my 120 gallon reef tank. Decided to give a CBB a try to nip it in the bud after finding a nice one on divers den and it worked as it has for many! Aiptasia was gone after a could weeks He's behaved so far and doing the usual curious picking around rocks and such while leaving corals and a clam alone. However, I haven't really be able to get him to eat much yet . Initially, I just tried the usual blend of frozen food, mysis, brine, bloodworms, etc with no luck. I then tried mass stick, which I've seen him pick at once or twice. I've tried live blackworms, which is supposed to the best option, but no luck as he doesn't seem interested. I've tried putting scallops along with an angel/butterfly frozen mix in a pvc tube with holes drilled in it (no luck yet). He's starting to get a bit skinny, but seems ok yet. However, I fear he'll start going downhill if he doesn't eat more soon. I have access to basically an unlimited supply of Aiptasia from a family members tank that's infested and considering intentionally introducing a small rock with some Aiptasia on it to my tank since I know he will eat that. On a scale of 1-10 how insane does that sound? Does anyone have any other feeding suggestions?

 

[DougBouma]

Mastik works, try it.

 

[4FordFamily]

I wouldn’t do that, they don’t all eat them.

Live blackworms, live mussels, clam on a half shell, and live brine are my go-to

 

[norfolkgarden]

If it already eats aptasia try to get a rock what the heck smaller aptasia.
That will give it more time.

Lol, adding them intentionally.
[emoji849]

Live black worms was our best bet.

Took a few weeks. Was worried at first but it worked out.

Best of luck!

 

[Memphis]

Thanks all! I've had him about 6 weeks and he's doing ok yet. I'm going to give him more time with some other foods before I resort to adding the Aiptasia, but I'm willing to take the risk before letting him die if it gets to that point.

 

[Mical]

Instead of adding aptasia, irritate any that you have left. They're in the anemone family and when irritated they multiply. Ask anyone who's tried a lazer, or majano wand.

 

[madweazl]

Have you tried littleneck clams? Ours loves them (as do all of the other critters in the tank); we thaw them for about an hour and toss them in the tank whole.

 

[Memphis]

Unfortunately, I failed and lost my CBB before I had a chance to try aiptasia. I tried mussels and building a contraption out of PVC. Lesson learned

 

[norfolkgarden]

Unfortunately, I failed and lost my CBB before I had a chance to try aiptasia. I tried mussels and building a contraption out of PVC. Lesson learned

Sorry to hear about your fish.

They can be very difficult to keep happy.

Ours is finally getting fat again on a renewed supply of live blackworms and RODS Reef.

The Rods food has been fattening up everyone.
Just started using it 2 months ago and the improved difference is ridiculously noticeable.
We happily fed some very highly respected foods for years with decent results.
But this one is noticeably better.

Pretty much an evangelizing convert at this point.
Something to consider if you attempt another CBB.

I would only get a CBB from an LFS, after I had watched it eat and it had no red blotches on the body.

 

[User1]

I've not owned one for several years now but had one with my 100 gallon back in 2001. The trick I used to get it eating was take a clam shell that I found while diving that was whole but a little bit open if you will. I took some brine and mysis shrimp and used turkey baster to put it inside. Then I froze it - being careful to not have it too liquid or full to prevent expansion, then tossed it into the tank. It found it and started to pick at it. Did this a couple days then before I knew it it was eating out of the water column.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

So I had a small amount of Aiptasia popping up in my 120 gallon reef tank. Decided to give a CBB a try to nip it in the bud after finding a nice one on divers den and it worked as it has for many! Aiptasia was gone after a could weeks He's behaved so far and doing the usual curious picking around rocks and such while leaving corals and a clam alone. However, I haven't really be able to get him to eat much yet . Initially, I just tried the usual blend of frozen food, mysis, brine, bloodworms, etc with no luck. I then tried mass stick, which I've seen him pick at once or twice. I've tried live blackworms, which is supposed to the best option, but no luck as he doesn't seem interested. I've tried putting scallops along with an angel/butterfly frozen mix in a pvc tube with holes drilled in it (no luck yet). He's starting to get a bit skinny, but seems ok yet. However, I fear he'll start going downhill if he doesn't eat more soon. I have access to basically an unlimited supply of Aiptasia from a family members tank that's infested and considering intentionally introducing a small rock with some Aiptasia on it to my tank since I know he will eat that. On a scale of 1-10 how insane does that sound? Does anyone have any other feeding suggestions?

If it works out. You can rent him out.Then get more train them, rent out. I see million$

 

[cracker]

Sorry about the fish. They can be tricky at 1st. I usually shove frozen into a crack or hole in the rock. This is similar to how they feed in the wild.
The PVC feeders? they are not familiar with these at all.

 

[Jesterrace]

I wouldn’t do that, they don’t all eat them.

Live blackworms, live mussels, clam on a half shell, and live brine are my go-to

Agreed. Many other non-invasive things you can add to it's food supply to keep it well fed. Adding aiptasia to a tank in attempt to give the copperband a food source is much like introducing rabid bats to an area infested with mosquitos, in the hopes of reducing the mosquito population.