Copperband Butterfly Success need to know

[Triggreef]

Hoping this helps out some reefers determined to keep a copperband. Obviously they can be difficult to get eating and for this reason not many people have success. I always suggest live black worms and live brine shrimp. Usually takes a week or more to get them going with the black worms but that will sustain them long term even. I have 2 right now that only eat live black worms despite my efforts on other foods. I'm not planning to get far into how to get them to eat in general, but I want to discuss how to keep them healthy once you do get them eating. That leads to another reason for lack of success with them...

They are slow deliberate eaters. It takes time for them to find the food they want and in that time there is usually another fish plucking it's little bit of food right from in front of its mouth. To avoid this the best way that I've found is to use a frozen food defroster in your tank which can be bought through quality marine for example but there's is a little pricey. If you can't put out the dough for that one you can use an acrylic breeder box or soap dish from home depot works well for just a couple dollars. Use a good magnet or old magfloat to keep it in the side of your tank.

So here are some shots of one that I've had for 3 or 4 years. Not the best shots but just wanted to show how fat his belly is. And a link under the pics to another thread I started a long time ago about the feeders.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...pete-other-fish-for-food.317316/#post-3915068

 

[Big G]

Excellent post! That is one fat and happy CBB. Nice

 

[SDK]

Great looking CBB! I truly love seeing these types of success stories.

I have several sources of worms that I feed and am wanting a CBB. Have you ever thought of creating or modding a worm feeder so only the butterfly can use it? Take advantage of that extended mouth.

You have my DIY juices flowing....

 

[Triggreef]

Great looking CBB! I truly love seeing these types of success stories.

I have several sources of worms that I feed and am wanting a CBB. Have you ever thought of creating or modding a worm feeder so only the butterfly can use it? Take advantage of that extended mouth.

You have my DIY juices flowing....

Yes... Under the photos I posted a link (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...pete-other-fish-for-food.317316/#post-3915068 ) to some more info about making a feeder. There are "Quality Marine" feeders available but kind of expensive and small, not really enough holes IMO. I used an acrylic soap dish from home depot with a magnet and still use that (part can be seen in one of the photos).

I also found some clear acrylic tube I used to add onto the QA ones that slips right over them, ordered from home depot. But could easily make your own with it. I like to drill some extra holes as they allow food to eventually disperse even without fish picking so it doesn't rot in there. Really it's just to slow down the other fish while the CBB is thinking about its food.

 

[Scdell]

Maybe I'm got lucky??? Got one to take care of aptasia. Don't see him eating much of them. Although aptasia has diminished. But I do have peppermint shrimp also. Mine looks as good as yours. I don't feed it any thing special. I've had him about 4 months now. Seems very happy.

 

[Triggreef]

Maybe I'm got lucky??? Got one to take care of aptasia. Don't see him eating much of them. Although aptasia has diminished. But I do have peppermint shrimp also. Mine looks as good as yours. I don't feed it any thing special. I've had him about 4 months now. Seems very happy.

There's a lot of variables as with everything reefing... Tank mates, amount /times you feed them, foods accepted, size of tank, etc.

I have two cbb in another system that only eat blackworms. I throw mysis and a myriad of other frozen food at them everyday and they just won't take anything else. Been about 2 months now both finally getting fatter/healthier but nothing like the one in my main tank.

In my main tank that guy is with 2 larger tangs, a big trigger and a slew of wrasses. He'd get almost nothing if I only fed straight to the tank.

 

[Scdell]

There's a lot of variables as with everything reefing... Tank mates, amount /times you feed them, foods accepted, size of tank, etc.

I have two cbb in another system that only eat blackworms. I throw mysis and a myriad of other frozen food at them everyday and they just won't take anything else. Been about 2 months now both finally getting fatter/healthier but nothing like the one in my main tank.

In my main tank that guy is with 2 larger tangs, a big trigger and a slew of wrasses. He'd get almost nothing if I only fed straight to the tank.

I agree. I have a tomato clown that chases him around every once in a while. And I mean chases him. He's half his size! I bought him from a lfs. He was eating. He seems very happy. Frankly I don't see the problem with having one that everyone talks about. Got lucky I guess.

 

[lolmatt]

Cbb just came out of qt today, saw him eat mysis at the lfs before I bought him but would only take black worms for me in qt. It's fine for now but I suspect it'll eat lrs and or half shell clams in time.