Aiptasia eating angel?

ratziel · 03/05/2006, 10:50 PM

About 9 months ago I put a Keyhole angel (Centropyge tibicen) in my 55 that I was having a problem with aiptasia in. After about a month or so I noticed there were no longer any small aiptasia in the tank and a few of the medium sized ones looked chewed on while the larger ones were untouched. I suspected the keyhole angel but never caught him in the act. Two weeks ago I put in a rock infested with small aiptasia and within 4 days all of the smaller ones were gone and I actually caught him in the act of chomping down on a small aiptasia. I cheered like my team just scored the winning goal at the superbowl (You have to understand how much I hate aiptasia) Of course he is now my favorite fish. My question is, has anyone else experienced this with this fish or is my guy a little freak of nature?

jda · 03/06/2006, 08:25 AM

I have a passer that will eat aips. ...and any other fleshy coral that it can find.

ratziel · 03/06/2006, 11:05 PM

Thanks for your reply jda. I wasn't aware of any angels that would eat aips. Since I received no replies about a keyhole angel I guess they are not that common even though he wasn't really all that expensive of a fish.

jda · 03/07/2006, 07:30 AM

They will do it. I have also seen coral eating pruple tangs, hippo tangs and PBT tangs... so who knows what will happen inside our tanks.

I also have a CBB that won't touch aips, so go figure.

03/05/2006, 10:50 PM	#1
ratziel Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 456	Aiptasia eating angel? About 9 months ago I put a Keyhole angel (Centropyge tibicen) in my 55 that I was having a problem with aiptasia in. After about a month or so I noticed there were no longer any small aiptasia in the tank and a few of the medium sized ones looked chewed on while the larger ones were untouched. I suspected the keyhole angel but never caught him in the act. Two weeks ago I put in a rock infested with small aiptasia and within 4 days all of the smaller ones were gone and I actually caught him in the act of chomping down on a small aiptasia. I cheered like my team just scored the winning goal at the superbowl (You have to understand how much I hate aiptasia) Of course he is now my favorite fish. My question is, has anyone else experienced this with this fish or is my guy a little freak of nature?

03/06/2006, 08:25 AM	#2
jda Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 2,597	I have a passer that will eat aips. ...and any other fleshy coral that it can find.

03/06/2006, 11:05 PM	#3
ratziel Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 456	Thanks for your reply jda. I wasn't aware of any angels that would eat aips. Since I received no replies about a keyhole angel I guess they are not that common even though he wasn't really all that expensive of a fish.

03/07/2006, 07:30 AM	#4
jda Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 2,597	They will do it. I have also seen coral eating pruple tangs, hippo tangs and PBT tangs... so who knows what will happen inside our tanks. I also have a CBB that won't touch aips, so go figure.