Copperband Butterfly fish

Salty heart · Jul 15, 2013

Hi guys!! I hope I am posting this in the right place--I am new to writing on a forum.I am wondering what kind of food to give my new Copperband Butterfly?? I have had him for a week now and I havent seen him eat anything meaty.I made the lfs feed him before I bought him and he goobled their food up--I believe it was mysis--I have tried feeding him mysis,brine(2 different kinds each) plankton and cyclopeeze.The little guy acts like the food is in his way and literally tries to swim around it!! I know these type of fish are hard to feed and alot of them die of starvation--please help!!! I see him grazing all day on algae on the rocks--but I dont think thats enough to sustain him for long.Also--is it even a good idea to have one in a reef tank?? please let me know if u have ever had one and your experience with them!! Thank you soo much!!

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Squishie89 · Jul 15, 2013

Maybe try pellets, just in case. Call the LFS and ask what kind of food they use. You might need to try live brine to get him eating.

Aquaph8 · Jul 15, 2013

Try some live black worms. I've also had go on hunger strikes until treated with prazipro, like they need to be dewormed. Goodluck

pickupman66 · Jul 16, 2013

I am on my third one of these in the past 12 months. Here is sorta what I have learned:

1. they seem to go for wormy type foods better. I had some moderate success with bloodworms, but not much.
2. I had one that was eating like a champ the mysis and other frozen I fed, but then one day, nothing. he did a hunger strike and died in 2 weeks.
3. Two showed lymphocytosis (including my latest). this did go away on the current fish.
4. My current CBB has been in my tank since June 1st. I have yet to witness this fish eat (it ate at the store and was bullying the other one in their tank). as you can see int eh photo below, he looks good. he is at least as fat as when I purchased him. I have a very large pop population in my tank along with a good handful of aptasia. this fish is constantly hunting those things and I feel he is keeping his figure on pods. I plan to double my Pod condos in the sump so that I can keep this population up with both a mandarin and my CBB (along with a 6 line and melanarus wrasse)
5. lastly, since the fish showed interest in food but was very shy at it, I made a feeder out of an old mag float. I glued a 1" piece of 1/2" pvc pipe to the inside and then drilled a few holes in a 1/2" cap. I put a cube fo bloodworms in this and only the CBB can get thim by sticking his nose inside and eating. They are curious fish and this can help you preserve some food when the other fish are voracious in their eating habits. again, i have never truly seen him eat from this, but each day I have to re-fill it.

rworegon · Jul 16, 2013

+1 on the live black worms. My lfs sold one the other day that was eating those and they sold a bag of worms with it. Not a good long term solution but will sustain the fish till you find something more appropriate.
I tried several items before I got mine to eat with much gusto. It was eating mysis at the store but didn't really show a lot of interest, so while in QT I experimented with different things. What mine really likes is finely chopped frozen scallops. He is always the first in and continues to pluck the pieces out of the ater column till its all gone.
Yes, they are a hit and miss proposition. A large percentage don't make it because of their feeding problems but I have been lucky.
Also eats Aptasia, pods, and as of yet hasn't nipped any of my zoas.
WARNING: these guys will kill every featherduster you might have in your tank.

Aquaph8 · Jul 16, 2013

I had one that was eating like a champ the mysis and other frozen I fed, but then one day, nothing. he did a hunger strike and died in 2 weeks.

Lindsey, this was my experience too. Eating like a champ for over a week and then nothing, after adding prazipro he almost immediately starting eating again. Two weeks later same thing but I did two rounds this time and he seems to be good now. I honestly dont think this was flukes but I cant be sure.

ritter6788 · Jul 16, 2013

pickupman66 said:
2. I had one that was eating like a champ the mysis and other frozen I fed, but then one day, nothing. he did a hunger strike and died in 2 weeks.

Aquaph8 said:
Lindsey, this was my experience too. Eating like a champ for over a week and then nothing, after adding prazipro he almost immediately starting eating again. Two weeks later same thing but I did two rounds this time and he seems to be good now. I honestly dont think this was flukes but I cant be sure.

This is what mine did also. Ate like a machine for 2 months and one day stopped eating. It would come out and chase food but would just let it hit it in the face instead of eating it. It died 2 days after it quit eating.

Salty heart · Jul 17, 2013

wow!!! I really didnt realize how extremely picky these guys are!!!! Thank you all for the info!! I will try the worms and pvc idea...I really hope this guy doesnt starve to death!