least destructive to dsb fauna. copperband or peppermints

[tlc]

i have a huge aiptasia problem. i know copperbands or peppermints can be a hit or miss item but i am willing to take the risk. the use of chemicals is almost impossible because i would need gallons and i am afraid my water chemistry would go haywire. i have developed a rich and robust sand bed. lots of pods worms etc. i would like to use an aiptasia eater that would be least destructive to my sand bed creatures. any advice appreciated.....

 

[rbelshaw]

The deciding factor here is what else you have in your tank. I used Racoon Butterflys in a FOWLR tank which was completly covered with aiptasia (mean thousands, not hundreds). Gone in two weeks and I have never seen the BFs graze the sandbed. I was told they would go for coral but there a few dozen tiny SPS in the tank which came in a month ago with some rock that they have not touched.

 

[tlc]

the tank is almost all sps. except for a small head pf candy cane. there are no fish or crabs. just snails....

 

[dale nilson]

I had good luck with the shrimp. They never dug deep in the sand bed. They never ate the big ones, but with patience, the small aitsia were cleaned out. Any big aiptasia I removed with a tweezer and they took care of the rest.