[Dean Ladd]

Wow Just read this entire thread in one evening. Quality build. I admire your perseverance. Especially when it comes to the fish loses.

As for your Aiptasia problem, I know you have a plan using Berghia. I wish you luck!

As for Pep Shrimp I can tell you in my 20+ years in this hobby I have found Pep Shrimps to be a total waste of time and money when it comes to aiptasia eradication. I have 2 in my 40b and they have done nothing to get rid of aiptasia. They are worthless aesthetically since you will never seem them out except maybe while feeding.

I know your pain when it comes to Copperbands. I have tried a couple in my 135 over the past 20 years with no luck. My Purple Tang is the king of the system and nothing is added to the tank unless he approves it.

I don't have a issue with aiptasia in my 135 but I did have a issue with them in m 40b. With no help from the Pep Shrimp. I did a lot of research on what fish to use for Aiptasia eradication besides a Copperband and found that the Chaetodon kleinii was a great choice. They have a much better survival record and will decimate Aiptasia. I purchased one from LA and QT it. I knew my battle was won even before adding the fish to my 40b since my QT had a few Aiptasia in it and the Kleinii had decimated those with in hours of adding it to the QT tank. Plus it was eager to eat ANYTHING I feed it. With in 2 weeks of adding it to my 40b it had decimated ALL aiptasia in the 40b. Once done I placed it back into my QT. As for manually removing aiptasia I have found a mixture of Cold Pressed Lemon Juice and Hydrogen Peroxide willkill them. Usually with one hit. There is no side effects on the system using this if you use a syringe to zap them. Stab'em and squirt.

The Kleinii is now waiting in the QT on the arrival of my new 72x30x24 tank. The plan is once I switch out my 135 with the new tank I will add the Kleinii a couple weeks before the fish that were in the 135. Hopefully the Purple tang will be thrown for a loop and will allow the Kleinii in the new tank.

Note: Once the Kleinii finished with the aiptasia it started to nip on some Poly's and Gorgonia in the 40b. I think it was because of the small tentacles since it ignored LPS. I can't say what it would do with SPS. I dont keep SPS.