CBB only eating Live Black Worms

alten78 · Mar 13, 2017

A couple of months ago I picked up and tried my hand on a Copper Band Butterfly. Luckily for me, it acclimated and took to frozen Mysis pretty quickly. I typically rotate my foods between Rods, Mysis, and Formula One flakes but while reading more about CBB's, I added Live Black Worms and clams to the mix.

The CBB never took to the clams and now turns its nose up to Mysis ever since introducing LBW. Feeding the Mysis and Rods, it appears to want to eat and gets excited but never does, worms on the other hand it loses its mind. There is only one store by me that offers the worms and they sell out at times.

So my question is, will this fish only eat worms going forward? Any with experience getting it back to frozen foods?

Reefing Madness · Mar 14, 2017

laga77 · Mar 14, 2017

Try a blender mush of clams and shrimp.

alten78 · Apr 7, 2017

Just a quick update, the CBB started to get pretty thin but still was eating LBW well. A few days ago and many foods later, it all of a sudden started eating mysis again, ferociously at that. Nothing has changed in the tank in quite some time so shrug my shoulders and hope it stays this way.

saltyhog · Apr 7, 2017

I bet it will. Mine eats everything. I've even tricked him in to eating the nori that's in my LRS. He used to spit it out but eats it well now.

4FordFamily · Apr 7, 2017

They're immensely fragile to stress. The best way to fix a CBB's eating habits once established is to remove stressors.

Maybe it needs more room, removal of aggressive or intimidating tankmates, less noise around the tank, less kids pounding on the glass, soft jazz, etc.

Anyway, blackworms are a great thing for it to eat. Glad it's venturing now!

cracker · Apr 7, 2017

I "think" CopperBands are designed to stick their long noses into holes in rock to pull out bugs and such. It is a normal eating habit for them. Maybe try cramming a chunk of frozen oyster or Rod's reef into a hole or crevice. It may entice it to eat .

Reefpharmer · Apr 8, 2017

I don't know how you got it to eat as I've tried twice without success. Gave up after that

alten78 · Apr 8, 2017

Its an odd one for sure. Ate Mysis ok, then nothing but live black worms for almost a month, now eats Mysis like crazy...just hoping it doesn't go back to strictly LBW because I'm tired of buying them. Only one store relatively close to me carries them so I'd like to eventually stop or maybe goto frozen black worms.

Reefpharmer · Apr 8, 2017

You can order them online for pretty much what stores charge .

maroun.c · Apr 9, 2017

Live black worms is good but its bet to keep mixing mysis with it till the fish goes back to eating mysis.

alten78 · Apr 9, 2017

Reefpharmer said:
You can order them online for pretty much what stores charge .

I would order them from Aquaticfoods but currently they only cost me about 12 bucks a month from the LFS. It would cost me quite a bit more to order from them but I also don't think I would use as many as I would get in the shipment. They do offer frozen but at a minimum of 20 sheets, I may go that route.