Too many featherdusters

[al abaqueta]

Hey there, I was wondering if anyone has had any success with longnose butterflys eating those small white bothersome featherdusters that you see growing all over the live rock? I know copperbands do the trick, but are such finicky eaters difficult for me to get them to eat anything else. Thanks for your time. Al Go Jayhawks!:)

[snorvich]

Are you talking about aiptasia? If so, copperbands may or may not eat them. Raccoons eat them along with much of your corals.

[al abaqueta]

I'm referring to those small white featherdusters that seem to grow like vines. They are really harmless in your tank, just that they grow all over the rocks. I've had success in the past with the copperband butterfly, but when they've eaten them all up, they don't want to eat mysis or anything I've offered. they are too finicky. I was thinking of the longnose butterfly, but don't know if they will eat featherdusters. Thanks. Al

[BigH55]

They should.

[al abaqueta]

Well, I guess I'm going to have to try the Longnose butterfly and see if it eats those featherdusters.. Anyone else have any experience with other types of fish that may help eliminate this problem or do most hobbyists just not bother with them and leave them be? Thanks. Al

[vanmle]

My yellow longnose butterfly was great at it. Unfortunately, I really like feather dusters.

[xravenzx]

Peppermint shrimp do the trick as well. They should clean them all out in no time.

[al abaqueta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11888285#post11888285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xravenzx
Peppermint shrimp do the trick as well. They should clean em all out in no time. That's interesting, I've never heard that. I may have to try it. Thanks everyone, as usual RC has been an invaluable resource. Al

[Tennyson]

Peppermint Shrimp eating small feather dusters? Mine don't do that with any of mine. I don't think they do that. Some other kind of wrasse might eat them, but I'm not sure what kind.

[dadonoflaw]

the halichoeres sp. of wrasses will usually eat them.

[al abaqueta]

Great, now I have a reason to go get a Christmas Wrasse. Hey dadonoflaw, would you know if those are particularly effective at eating those nuisance featherdusters? Thanks. Al

[Setec]

I have 2 Halichoeres (Christmas and melanurus) and am adding 2 more tomorrow in my 180 as well as a 4-line wrasse and I have not seen a single one of the wrasses eat the small white feather dusters. I sure wish they would as I have rocks that are covered in them and they pop up between my zoas and make the zoas close.

Also, Shrimp do not eat them. I think you have them confused with the aiptasia.

[Oilman]

I will second the peppermint shrimp eating feather dusters. I added 10 to my system for a bad aptasia outbreak and they ate every feather duster first and then wiped out the aptasia.

[Setec]

I have 5 pepermints, 1 cleaner, 1 blood, 2 coral banded and a ton of feather dusters.

Maybe I just got a bunch of bad shrimp, or you got lucky on yours as this is the first I have heard of them eating dusters.

[decent37]

is this for real? i have never heard of shrimp eating feather dusters and also ive never heard of someone not liking feather dusters. i love them people you look at my tanks love them. its always a goal for me to see how many new ones i can spot they are sweet! they just make the tank look more natural and help filter your tank.

[Josh K]

is this for real? i have never heard of shrimp eating feather dusters and also ive never heard of someone not liking feather dusters. i love them people you look at my tanks love them. its always a goal for me to see how many new ones i can spot they are sweet! they just make the tank look more natural and help filter your tank.

As nice as they are and dont get me wrong they are nice, too much of a good thing can spoil the effect. Ive got thousands of them in my one tank its starting to get out of control. But at the same time its nice to have some of them in there. Might have to try a few shrimp and see what they do.

[al abaqueta]

Yeah, unfortunately I have them growing all over the place. And though a few here and there look nice, hundreds of them in clusters become a nuisance. My tank is predominately sps, and they get in between the frags and colonies. Now please don't misinterpret which featherdusters I am refereing to. The small, white, viney looking ones. Not the pretty Hawaiian featherdusters. Thanks for all your input. I may have to try peppermint shrimps and Christmas wrasses. Al