How to stop Butterfly from nipping at large Condilactus

[jneuringer]

The 75g FOWLR was in good harmony but had some aptasia, so I got a Butterfly (forget which species, named after a guy but looks somewhat like a fox face rabbit).

Anyway, i noticed recently that the condilactus is loooking small and nipped at. Several tenticles are missing and others have nip marks. I am nearly sure that it's the butterfly. as he hangs out there too.

Any strategies to prevent / reduce this? That fish eats well on other things....

 

[Anonymous]

Well, you don't have many options I am afraid.

To allow your anemone to heal from the nipping, you can cover him with something that will form a "cage" to keep out the butterfly, but still allow light and water flow to come through. I have used those flimsy plastic baskets that berries come in at the supermarket to protect an open brain I had that was getting picked on until I could relocate to offending fish. That will probably be to small for an anemone, but you get the general idea.

I just took the little berry basket and tied a bit of rock rubble to it to keep it stable, and set it on top of the coral to keep fish away.

Perhaps, if you can keep your butterfly from the anemone for a while, and start to feed the fish much more, he will lose the habit of nipping on the anemone. But I must say that I fear once the butterfly had discovered he likes your anemone, he will continue to go for it, and you will have to remove one or the other.

 

[Fatal Morgana]

It is not easy to displine a fish (small brain does not help), and I had to remove my butterfly after it killed several of my LPS corals.

 

[jneuringer]

we should set up butterfly rentals. Get rid of your aptasia, then move the fish to someone elses tank

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I think you'll have to remove the butterfly. Many of them consider anemones a tasty food.

 

[Anonymous]

Apparently there's no accounting for taste

Kinda like some Sump critters I know.