Which butterfly for my reef?

[selje]

Hi,

I need some help.

I have three issues in my tank that I hope a butterfly can help me with.

1. I am struggling with a type of brown polyps that grows all over some of my LR. It's hopeless to get rid of it without loosing the whole rock it's growing on.

Looks like thishttp://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/coneilliv/ebay/BlueClovePolyps.jpg

2. Some red zoanthus sp. Is growing on my reef and I want to get rid of them as it is hopeless to control them. (I don't want any zoas or soft corals in my tank)

3. Aiptasia. I've tried Filefish and Chelmon R. They dissappeared when I borrowed a filefish to get rid of them. It did a good job and I took it out when it was done and started nipping on my sps. The Chelmon didn't eat any. A week after the filefish was out they started popping back.

I need one butterfly who can help me with all these three problems. And I need one that has the best odds to leave my sps alone (or at least that it prefers my three problems before sps polyps).

I've read that these two are good candidates:

Chaetodon Rafflesi (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+25+254&pcatid=254)
Chaetodon Falcula (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+25+229&pcatid=229)

Does anyone have experience or tips for me? I really need help to get rid of my three problems. I hope there is a butterfly who can help.

Best regards, Andreas

[selje]

Is there anyone out there who has experience with these two butterflies?

[sc50964]

I would suggest to steer away from butterfly. Most butterfly would at least sample corals, if not seeing them as a major food resource. Klein is the one I've heard to take care of Aiptasia problem the most, but it's dreadful looking. I would suggest to use Berghia Nudibranch to take care of Aiptasia.

[chema]

I would suggest to steer away from butterfly. Most butterfly would at least sample corals, if not seeing them as a major food resource. Klein is the one I've heard to take care of Aiptasia problem the most, but it's dreadful looking. I would suggest to use Berghia Nudibranch to take care of Aiptasia.

The problem is finding a source for Berghia nudibranchs in Europe, or at least in Spain, is even more difficult than finding an aiptasia-eater SPS-safe butterfly.

Anyway, any chances of finding nudis in Norway?

[Bello]

FWIW, I tried a Chaetodon Collare for a few hours, nipped corals a bit, but decimated the aiptasia

[ca1ore]

I had the most success eradicating aptasia and majano with an Asfur Angel. It also ate all of my zooanthids and flower polyps. Your tank might be a bit small for one though.

[selje]

Ok, thank you for the response. I actually have 10+/- Berghia Nudis who I ordered from the UK. But they are 1mm big and I have no idea if they are alive. It will take months before they are large enough to be seen on the rocks.

Aiptasia is not my biggest problem. The soft corals (zoas and star polyps) are another big issue. And I therefore hoped that a butterfly could take care of all my three problems. But don't you think the butterfly will eat the anemones and soft corals before sps? This is only a temp solution. I don't want a butterfly in my tank. I will give it away to someone who want a butterfly when it's done with its job.

[sc50964]

What if the butterfly doesn't do what you've planned as its temp job? I would suggest to stay away from all butterfly, other than Klein, for this task since they are hard enough to keep already. Klein, on the other hand, is quite hardy and it will have a better chance to be used as an utility fish, which is generally not a good approach. I think you could try using product like aiptesia X for the aip problem. As to the unwanted corals, well, rehome the rock and get another piece. These are approaches that would for sure get rid of these issues.

[el aguila]

What if the butterfly doesn't do what you've planned as its temp job? I would suggest to stay away from all butterfly, other than Klein, for this task since they are hard enough to keep already. Klein, on the other hand, is quite hardy and it will have a better chance to be used as an utility fish, which is generally not a good approach. I think you could try using product like aiptesia X for the aip problem. As to the unwanted corals, well, rehome the rock and get another piece. These are approaches that would for sure get rid of these issues.

Another approach similar to above is to take the rock out soak in a bleach bath followed by a muratic acid bath. There are threads here on RC about doing this to remove phosphates. Maybe go a little strong on the bleach mixture and soak a little longer.

The problem with this is that it kills not only the bad stuff, but everything good also.