Are copperband butterfly fish reef safe

[Fish_Tank_J]

I have a reef tank with many corals and was wondering if they would eat my corals or are they reef safe.

 

[ndrwater]

Copperbands are indeed Reef safe, but...
Many people have a hard time getting them to eat, and, they often come in with flukes.
If you have access to live black worms, get some. CBB's really seem to like them, and can encourage feeding of prepared foods once they rate eating the worms heartily.
As for the flukes, a fresh water dip is a good place to start to knock off many of the flukes

 

[DanConnor]

I've had one for about a year, and for me totally reef safe. I have gotten it to eat live black worms and live white worms, and clams that I shuck, chop and freeze myself. The clams from the LFS are a no go, along with any other frozen foods.

 

[HiddenUser]

Hit or miss. I had one that ate mysis like a pig and never touched anything. I've had another one that LOVED Acans and would never stop picking at them.

 

[4FordFamily]

No, they’re not reef safe. They’re usually a safe bet but not technically reef safe.

 

[Maritimer]

Although they're usually a decent bet, copperbands will sometimes nip at clam mantles, and anything that feeds on small anemones can also be considered a potential risk to corals.

That having been said, I do want one for my own reef.

~Bruce

 

[saltyhog]

They will pretty much eliminate any feather dusters in your tank. Mine eliminated them and my aiptasia problem in pretty short order. As much as I like feather dusters and clams I like my CBB more.

Mine has shown zero interest in any corals including acans.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have had copperbands that were reef safe, but the last one I had to be removed because it had quite the appetite for acans.

 

[Paul B]

No, they’re not reef safe. They’re usually a safe bet but not technically reef safe.

So, yes and no, or someplace in between. If it looks like a worm, it will eat it.

 

[jd371]

Mine is a model citizen in my mixed reef, won't touch any of the corals or clam. No more Aptasia except the ones that are out of reach deep in the crevices of the rocks.

 

[4FordFamily]

So, yes and no, or someplace in between. If it looks like a worm, it will eat it.

Precisely!

Clear as mud!

 

[sanchoy]

Had my cbb for 8 years. Destroy all feather sisters and aiptasia. At first he only ate mysis shrimp, then he really thrived once I introduced my food mix ( shrimp, scallop, clam). Occasionally I'll buy black worms which he loves. Never picked at old corals I used to have. Did pick at overturned snails, but never ate them just out of curiosity.

Still going strong at 7 + inches.

 

[Kain]

I have bubble tip anemones will they leave them alone? And I have some bigger aptasia maybe 1.5 inches across will they eat those also?

 

[Paul B]

I know I have been keeping copperbands since at least 1976 as my Log book confirms. But I have almost always had them in my tank and they never bothered anything except tube worms. Great fish.

 

[jd371]

Since my last post above mine is still a model citizen, but has stopped eating the Aptasia and they spread throughout my tank.:mad:

 

[vic5hands]

Yes reef safe don’t keep any feathers cause they are yummy

 

[eatbreakfast]

Some are reef safe, some are not. I have had completely safe ones, but had to take out the last one I had because it ate acans.

Some eat aiptasia and some do not.

 

[Jlentz]

When mine ran out of aiptasia it went to town on my clam, wellso, & plate coral. The wellso is the only thing that survived.