Another Copperband thread - with a difference

[coralbeauties]

I agree with starting them out in a qt tank. I currently have 5 of them in my 40 qt tank. Received them direct wholesale. They started eating frozen brine first by the second day. Now I think they like mysis best so far. I originally started with 6 but one didnt survive the first week. I love these little guys, they are now swimming up to where I stand and beg for food. I run hypo for qt and have read where lower salinity increases their appetite so that might be also helping out.
Jeff

 

[Gablami]

I’ll be honest, I killed a few cbb before I got it right. Once I did it this way, I’ve taken 3 straight copperbands and kept them alive, and given them to friends.

You need a running QT system with no other fish competition. A sterile tank with a bubbler is no good. Once I took my eating cbbs from QT into TTM, they stopped eating. Once I put them back into my DT, it took awhile, but then they started eating again over a few days.

I honestly believe that live blackworms are the secret to keeping CBBs alive. Without competition in an environment it feels safe and comfortable, all three started eating black worms within a few days. I then transitioned to frozen blood worms and then mysis. Once you’re there, you’re golden. I’ve fattened them up for a few weeks, and then moved them into TTM and then my DT. You can buy live blackworms online and there are instructions on how to keep them alive in the fridge.

I am sick of reading threads where reefers tell each other they just “need to get lucky.” Or “watch them eat in the LFS first.” While both are somewhat true, neither is sufficient. All the cbbs that I killed were eating in the LFS and stopped once I got home.

You need to have a plan, and you need to be prepared. Or else you’ll probably have another dead CBB.

Now mine eats everything out of the water column, and even nori! I hope this helps some other reefers keep this beautiful fish!

 

[ApoIsland]

I’ll be honest, I killed a few cbb before I got it right. Once I did it this way, I’ve taken 3 straight copperbands and kept them alive, and given them to friends.

You need a running QT system with no other fish competition. A sterile tank with a bubbler is no good. Once I took my eating cbbs from QT into TTM, they stopped eating. Once I put them back into my DT, it took awhile, but then they started eating again over a few days.

I honestly believe that live blackworms are the secret to keeping CBBs alive. Without competition in an environment it feels safe and comfortable, all three started eating black worms within a few days. I then transitioned to frozen blood worms and then mysis. Once you’re there, you’re golden. I’ve fattened them up for a few weeks, and then moved them into TTM and then my DT. You can buy live blackworms online and there are instructions on how to keep them alive in the fridge.

I am sick of reading threads where reefers tell each other they just “need to get lucky.” Or “watch them eat in the LFS first.” While both are somewhat true, neither is sufficient. All the cbbs that I killed were eating in the LFS and stopped once I got home.

You need to have a plan, and you need to be prepared. Or else you’ll probably have another dead CBB.

Now mine eats everything out of the water column, and even nori! I hope this helps some other reefers keep this beautiful fish!

I agree with this almost 100%. The exception is that I prefer to have another peaceful fish in quarantine that eats mysis with the cbb so the cbb can see it eating. Also so I don't have to clean out the uneaten food if the cbb doesn't take right away which mine never do.
the slow methodical yet always hungry file fish is my favorite cbb quarantine mate.

I start with live brine and then frozen brine. Then move to mysis and finally PE mysis. This feeding routine has never failed me. The cbb will be eating right out of your hand or a net or what ever special feeder you come up with within 2-3 weeks. Can then transfer to display. If the fish stops eating prepared food in the display its because you have other fish stressing it out.

 

[JJKK]

Has anyone gotten your CBB to consistently eat pellets or flakes? Mine only eat frozen clams, LRS Reef Frenzy, PE Mysis, Hikari Mega Marine Angels and Butterfly, and some time Masstick.

When I travel or go on vacation, I usually get lots of amphipods to seed the DT a couple of days before. I don't have a tank sitter so the CBB will only get food from hunting and pecking on rocks while I am gone. It would be good to see if there's a method to get them to eat pellets or flakes food.

 

[Injoynit]

I must be the lucky one. I got my CBB as a juvenile, put him in the display tank with 2 tangs, 5 clown fish, 3 jawfish and a diamond goby, which are all aggressive feeders (except diamond goby) and after one week of where he fits in with the tangs dominance, he eats everything I put in the water column and aiptasia. I feed frozen, mysis, brine, algae blend, etc foods and pellets and he eats it all (maybe not the pellets, have not really seen him eat those). He tends to like the mysis the best.
Good to be lucky!

 

[BillFish Coral Lover]

In the sea they do pick at the rocks constantly and especially in holes where they pull out worms. But they do eat from the water column.

Nice! Thanks for the video. I just bought a juvenile beauty I had kept an eye on at the LFS. It's picking at some rock but hasn't taken frozen food really. I won't freak out but will try some fresh clam and keep changing it around.

 

[najer]

Am I allowed to pull it by the tail if it gets it's snout stuck in the feed rock?!

 

[PranK]

The advice in here has been great. The Little fella was in a frag tank for weeks before he was put in the display. I needed to make sure he was strong and used to the conditions before I put him in with my tangs.
As for eating, I've seen him peck out of the water column once. He won't touch masstick, any shrimp or anything I put in the water. BUT he is getting round. He's definitely fatter than he was and he spends a lot of time pecking at the sand and rocks. I have so many pods, tube worms and other critters he's not tempted at all by the food I'm introducing. It's working for him anyway so that's good, I figure that he's getting used to the other food anyway even if he's not eating it yet. I'll keep updating though for those who are interested.

 

[Paul B]

Has anyone gotten your CBB to consistently eat pellets or flakes?

Even if my copperband would eat that, I would never give it to her or any fish.
Except of course vacation

 

[OrionN]

Even if my copperband would eat that, I would never give it to her or any fish.
Except of course vacation

Don't agree with Paul. There are many ways to skin a cat. Good pellets are good food. The mainstay of my fish food is pellets. They are fat colorful and healthy. I do feed them frozen, various different types, but 80% plus of the food is pellets.

If you never give pellets to your fish then feed them pellets when you went on vacation
for 2 weeks, you WILL come back to a problem tank.
I never change routine when I go on vacation. Automatic and same old thing. They won't get additional food that I treat them with, but otherwise everything stay the same.

 

[Paul B]

Don't agree with Paul. There are many ways to skin a cat. Good pellets are good food.

I don't agree with orionN
OK, maybe a little.

 

[Mareshow]

This was an interesting read for me, currently have a 2.5" one in a 40 gal QT with rock, Its been in there for 4 days, I've found some decent sized poops out of it so I definitely think its eating, I've been feeding frozen brine and mysis shrimp soaked in garlic and selcon for 20 minutes. The shrimp get stuck to the filter and he sits there and picks them all off. How I'm trying to get him to eat frozen out of a bag on the wall but no dice yet... very inquisitive little guy though, I hope he makes it :/. I'm considering putting him in my display (750 gallon) its a relatively new tank though, I did seed it but I'm concerned about competition, all my other fish eat pellets and nori though.

 

[najer]

Mine takes frozen anything out of the water column now, nearly interested in flake!

 

[PranK]

I've had him now for a few months. He's still as picky as ever and only eating off the sand and rocks but he's plumping up a bit. Still hopeful that he takes prepared foods at some stage but if he's getting what he needs then whatever. I won't consider him over the hump though until he does.