Is the copperband butterfly reef safe?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I'm thinking of getting a copperband butterfly in my never ending battle with aiptasia, but I'm concerned about my corals...are cbbs reef safe?

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[Saltgator]

IMO, each ccb is it's own personality. The one I owned, ate frozen from day 1, never bothered 1 coral (z/p, meat,doughnut,other lps),only ate small aiptasia. I believe it's 50/50. If you get one, keep it fat n happy to lessen the thought of tasting your corals, even though it's still a possibility he/she may take a nibble.

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[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Thanks!!

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[kb1094]

It's a 50/50 chance. He can go after your zoas/palys if you don't have anymore aptasia. However, if you don't have polyps, there is nothing to worry about.

 

[Aquaph8]

Not completely, they will on occasion eat Zoanthids, stick their nose in your acans mouths (and other LPS), nip at clams, bite snails feet and munch your feather dusters. Like all semi reef safe fish it depends on the individual fish as well as how hungry you let them get. One of my absolute favorite fish though and well worth any trouble they may cause IMO.

 

[PlumCrazy]

+1 with the others on the 50/50, another option may be an aptasia eating filefish or an aptasia eating Berghia (i think its spelled that way).

just other options for the same end outcome

 

[eliramos]

+1 with the others on the 50/50, another option may be an aptasia eating filefish or an aptasia eating Berghia (i think its spelled that way).

just other options for the same end outcome

yup go for the nudi
but after you run out they will eventually starve
you can raisie your own aiptaisia for it after if you run out
like in your sump or another tank but they will definitely chow down!

 

[goodtimes]

I'm not sure the aptasia eating file fish would be any safer then a copper band.

 

[PlumCrazy]

not safer... just a different option as well. my file hides 99% of the time. i got for aptasia and he ate it within a week, i dont notice any coral or clam nipping, but he is fully nocturnal in my tank so its nice cuz hes kinda ugly anyway. haha...

 

[Aquaph8]

IME any aiptasia removal approach has to be kept up on or they come back eventually. This is why a permanent resident works best but most of them come with some restrictions. Peppermints are probably the safest approach but you gotta add them once in a while.

 

[eliramos]

Noooo peppermint
Once they start eating aiptasia you can say goodbye to any nems or even some lps once they get hungry.
I Lost a frogspawn and two rock nems to one already

 

[rworegon]

[h=2]Is the copperband butterfly reef safe?[/h]
Sometimes. Also depends on what you copnsider reef safe. Mine does a wonderful job of controlling aptasia. haven't seen a single one since about a week after he went into the reef. However, decimated my giant hawaiian feather dusters. Doesn't pic on zoa's but I occasionally see himnibbling at my favia. Not sure if he's eating it or just picking at bugs. Also hasn't bothered my cocoa worm.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I think I'm going to try a copperband and then remove him if he gets to be a pain.

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