Kleini Butterfly - aiptasia eating machine

[Aparker2005]

After losing 4 copperbands and desperate to end our aiptasia takeover, I reluctantly decided to get a Kleini butterfly added to our mixed reef. I know the possibility of them going after corals, but working from home, I can keep an eye out easier for it.

This little thing is already absolutely destroying our aiptasia. It's actively hunting them and just making them disappear. It's so satisfying!

It will swim up to a coral and look and swim off in search of more aips. Once the aips are gone I'm hoping the feedings will keep it satisfied. Would love to keep this fish as it's actually kinda pretty.

So far, wife and I are both very happy, but it's also day 1 lol.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Butterflyfish are amazing in SPS-less (and torchless) tanks. I had an awful majano problem in one of my tanks, and my spotband butterfly took care of them in a week. They're just so pretty and personable!

 

[Aparker2005]

Well unfortunately we've lost all of our euphylia garden except for one last torch. We don't have very much sps either, so hopefully it'll stay away from the rest.

Our foxface and orange shoulder tang both went nuts when it was first added to the tank. This kleini was absolutely not affected at all and kept on eating. They've settled down already thankfully.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I lost a lovely torch to my copperband. The copperband stayed in the tank, where it swims around cutely while ignoring the aiptasia banquet all around it.

 

[Aparker2005]

This little thing ate an entire rock worth of aiptasia surrounding some zoas and hasn't touched any corals yet. It's still got a lot of aiptasia to go, but definitely is taking them out!

 

[Aparker2005]

I'd say our aiptasia issue is about 90% gone already with this Kleini. Only a few left, and a few large ones that I'm gonna get with F aiptasia.

So far it's been a model citizen. It occasionally gets aggressive towards our yellow longnose, but nothing major. Absolutely hope it stays a model citizen as the wife has come to love the little thing. I'm a believer in these eating aiptasia and being a million times easier than a copperband.

 

[Seansea]

Is he eating prepared foods? Might get lucky if you keep him fed from you. Otherwise after his aptasia feasting is over its gonna be go time on your corals. Especially zoas.

I was successful with my bi color angel with feeding heavy. He gets nori twice a day and fed pellets and frozen twice a day and he has "lightened up on my corals". He was tearing some corals up bad when he first in the tank. Now its just a nip here and there and the corals seem to deal with it.

 

[MySonWantedAHamster]

I'm following with fingers crossed - I have one being QT'd at TSM Aquatics as we speak.

 

[Aparker2005]

Is he eating prepared foods? Might get lucky if you keep him fed from you. Otherwise after his aptasia feasting is over its gonna be go time on your corals. Especially zoas.

I was successful with my bi color angel with feeding heavy. He gets nori twice a day and fed pellets and frozen twice a day and he has "lightened up on my corals". He was tearing some corals up bad when he first in the tank. Now its just a nip here and there and the corals seem to deal with it.

Eats any and everything I put in the tank thankfully! I work from home full time so thankfully get to keep a closer than normal eye on it

 

[Seansea]

Yavthink youvwill be good to go. I find plenty of nori helps these coral munchers

 

[Aparker2005]

Just an update.... Tank has been 100% eradicated of aiptasia minus 3 small ones that are buried deep in some rocks that nothing can get to. The huge ones, every one in the rocks, sand, filter intakes, all gone.

This Kleins has been the best fish addition we've added yet. I keep it well fed and it never even looks at corals. Hope this trend continues. It's growing nicely, and actually has some gorgeous coloring.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just an update.... Tank has been 100% eradicated of aiptasia minus 3 small ones that are buried deep in some rocks that nothing can get to. The huge ones, every one in the rocks, sand, filter intakes, all gone.

This Kleins has been the best fish addition we've added yet. I keep it well fed and it never even looks at corals. Hope this trend continues. It's growing nicely, and actually has some gorgeous coloring.

I Told you !!! Thanks for the update.
Now you know why I Have two

 

[Aparker2005]

I Told you !!! Thanks for the update

So far you've been 100% right!

 

[MySonWantedAHamster]

Just an update.... Tank has been 100% eradicated of aiptasia minus 3 small ones that are buried deep in some rocks that nothing can get to. The huge ones, every one in the rocks, sand, filter intakes, all gone.

This Kleins has been the best fish addition we've added yet. I keep it well fed and it never even looks at corals. Hope this trend continues. It's growing nicely, and actually has some gorgeous coloring.

That is excellent news; nice looking butterfly too. Thanks for following up.

 

[Aparker2005]

I've noticed the last few days our zoas oddly closing up which they usually never do.

Suspecting the Klein, I've been watching it. Looks like it is indeed picking at the zoas here and there. Also seems a little interested in our bubble coral, but no damage done to it yet. There's only 2 sections of zoas looking bad though. All the others are good.

Really was hoping it would stay a model citizen, but not looking good if this continues. Not sure what to do if we have to remove it, as I'm sure the aips will be back with a vengeance, causing basically the same issue taking over corals.

Only spare tank we have is a 20g, which wouldn't work long term either.

Dang this hobby!

 

[Aparker2005]

We also had a Duncan I fragged and was growing really fast...... Completely shriveled to nothing now

 

[Seansea]

Bro i feel your pain

My angel has gone bonkers on corals lately. Driving me crazy

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yup... I recently posted this up in another thread. Klein is a bust for me also. I have the 'bluehead'. It's being fairly selective on zoas but its aggo on the ones it likes as well. It did eradicate the aiptasia though, better than the filefish which just nipped on zoa's and didnt touch the aiptasia.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Bro i feel your pain

My angel has gone bonkers on corals lately. Driving me crazy

That sucks but they are a crapshoot as it is. Those bicolor's are lps chomping machines IME.

 

[Seansea]

Ya man. He wasnt muchin .for 2.months then i added 5 new frags and he went stupid. Not only new frag munchin but all my old corals became targets. Like he got woke. Gggrrrr