Compatability question

[SPSjunky]

I have some aptasia that popped up in the past few weeks and im finally going to buy a copperbanded butterfly.I love copperband's, I think they are one of the most beautiful fish.I know they will eat aptasia but will they bother a RBTA?I just picked up a nice looking RBTA and would hate to have a copperbanded butterfly destroy it. Thanks for any help!!!

 

[SPSjunky]

30 views and no ideas???

 

[Giancarlo]

It is doubtful that it will touch the nem. What i would consider is how you are going to feed the fish after the aptaisa is gone? You will need to feed it very often as these fish need 2 - 3 feedings daily, and they will not accept flakes/pellets. I feed mine a mixture of mashed up fresh shrimp squid scallops a bunch of other seafood, and i mix in flakes and seaweed when i blend it, my copperband loves it. Though i had to put it in its own tank for a long while trying to get it to eat. Did not eat that mix in the beginning, mosquito larvae triggered the initial appetite. Hope this helps, they are beautiful fish, but not the easiest to care for. If it is just for aptaisa, i would recommend a much cheaper and "hands off" route of peppermint shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp took care of all my aptaisa in my 90 gallon tank.

 

[Giancarlo]

Also i got the copperband as a juvenile, i would assume it is easier to get them on to frozen food that way. It is my suspicion that when they are older, they are less likely to eat what we give them, as they already have their established appetite so to speak.

 

[SPSjunky]

Thankyou for your response.I am hoping he wont be interested in the RBTA. I used to have one back in the day in my old 75 gallon in it did great for about 3 years until i broke the aquarium down and sold him.He loved little neck clams.I had a small peice of buddle rock i used to rubberband the clam to.It got to the point that I could put pellets in the shell and he would eat them.He was a perfect citizen but i didnt have an anemones in the tank.

The fact they eat aptasia is just a bonus for me.I think they are absolutely beautiful.Although I do share the concerns of feeding with you.From everything I have read that other people have posted, it seems that some people do have diffucultys starting their appetite.

 

[Hyprviperx]

i have to agree with giancarlo as well. i think the peppermint shrimp will do the trick, as he said i also got 2 and they decimated the aptasia colonies also. i also noticed you can usually find prego females and if you like can rear them into maturity or as i do let the reef decide who lives and dies, the clowns will gorge themselves when a pep pops.

 

[Giancarlo]

Pellets from the shell? That's awesome I'm currently doing something of the same idea. In my seafood mix I am
adding more and more flakes as time goes on. Hopefully it gets a taste for flakes so I can put it on an auto feeder. But that is good news to hear! What type of pellet did the copperband eat?

 

[SPSjunky]

Pellets from the shell? That's awesome I'm currently doing something of the same idea. In my seafood mix I am
adding more and more flakes as time goes on. Hopefully it gets a taste for flakes so I can put it on an auto feeder. But that is good news to hear! What type of pellet did the copperband eat?

Im sorry I forget the brand name but I believe it was a krill based pellet.It may have been ocean nutrition brand but im not 100% sure.Just make sure you keep him eating.See what he really goes after and see what he just picks at.When i would put a little neck clam in the tank he would go wild.If i put jumbo krill on the shell he would also devour them.I hope this helps.

 

[chort55]

My CBB ate anything and everything I put in the tank. I got it small and it was aussie. Had the best coloration of any others I'd seen too. Never touched my BTA's..... unfortunately LOL

Mysis, bloodworms, enriched brine shrimp, NLS thera a+ pellets, and 2 different flakes, along with my LFS "homemade" food. Lost him when a skimmer pump fried tho