Feeding a Copperband Butterfly help

[Sobo's Reef]

I purchased one yesterday and so far it’s not eating yet, not too worried since he’s settling into QT but what has everyone had success with? Right now I have LRS Feeding Frenzy and Mysis cubes.

 

[paphater]

It took mine a day or so two start eating. Mine goes for LRS and mysis, but I recently picked up some masstick from BRS and he goes crazy for it. You can also reconstitute it with selcon or something to boost the nutrition of it.

 

[PaulK]

For the first few weeks mine would only eat live blackworms. I got 1/4 pound, which lasted a few weeks. Right around when those started to run out the copperband started eating live clams (from the supermarket--I would just crack one open and drop it in the tank). After a few days of that he started eating LRS and maastik pressed onto the tank glass. Now he eats all frozen foods, nori, and some flakes.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

I’ll give it a day or so and if he doesn’t go after the LRS then maybe I’ll get some live black worms.

 

[Instigate]

Mine loves LRS Reef Frenzy, Selcon soaked mysis, and spirulina brine shrimp. You could also try to replicate a more natural eating situation:


You can make one of these with needlepoint. Put the food in between the two layers and it gives him something to pick at. Can be hung with hardline tube.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Great ideas!!! Thank you!!!

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Live black worms, live white worms, clams on the half shell and mastic all have worked for me.

Also try different sized mysis, mine was picky about brands when it first started eating mysis.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

I went to my LFS today and they were out of live black worms so I bought some clams on a half shell. He’s still not touching the LRS but he’s curious about it.. I dropped a half shell in there and same thing, curious but no bite. How long do you usually leave the half shell in the tank? I gave it 10mins and then I took it out.

 

[PaulK]

Live clams from the grocery store might work better. My fish devour them quickly but I’d think you could easily leave them in for an hour or so.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

He started nibbling on the half shells but I went and bought live black worms and he devours them.

 

[jd371]

He started nibbling on the half shells but I went and bought live black worms and he devours them.

I don't know of any fish that the Black Worms won't get a response from, they can't pass up the wiggling. I have a Spotted Dragonet that hunts them down and devours them like a savage.
Cultivate White worms in case the LFS ever runs out or can't get Black worms so that way you always have worms on hand for the CBB. A tupperware of moist dirt and a piece of bread once and while to feed them is all you need to cultivate.
Masstick is another thing the CBB likes and you can mix food and vitamins in it as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Reefs-M...1528985571&sr=8-1&keywords=masstick+fish+food

 

[MPS]

I'm also struggling with this topic. I've had one starve on me already. Lasted two weeks then gave up the ghost.
I notice that the feeders in the videos give them something to pick at. Is that important or is it just to keep the food contained?

 

[Kmsutows]

This topic comes up very often. You can use the search function for more suggestions.
Most important points in my opinion:
Make sure you have some live rock. They naturally pick off of rockwork. They need to be trained to feed from the water column. That means squish frozen foods into the rockwork for it to pick at. They are also natural worm eaters so live worms including the small feather dusters will help. Mine wouldn't even eat live black worms for 5 days but I'm sure it was picking at all my live rock which helped it pull through

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I notice that the feeders in the videos give them something to pick at. Is that important or is it just to keep the food contained?

For me, the feeders weren't useful for getting them to eat in my quarantine.

Feeders were very useful when I first moved cbb to the display, where it was eating too slowly to compete with the piglets in there.

Now, I never use a feeder as my cbb is the pushiest pig in the pen.

Good luck!

 

[MPS]

This topic comes up very often. You can use the search function for more suggestions.
Most important points in my opinion:
Make sure you have some live rock. They naturally pick off of rockwork. They need to be trained to feed from the water column. That means squish frozen foods into the rockwork for it to pick at. They are also natural worm eaters so live worms including the small feather dusters will help. Mine wouldn't even eat live black worms for 5 days but I'm sure it was picking at all my live rock which helped it pull through

Thanks for the input. I've got lots of live rock. In fact, i've put a couple hundred dollars worth of pods in the tank and sump to support my mandarin. The rock should be "live" enough now.
I plan to put the CBB in a quarantine with live rock for a while where I can monitor feeding and hopefully ween it onto frozen foods at least.

 

[MPS]

For me, the feeders weren't useful for getting them to eat in my quarantine.

Feeders were very useful when I first moved cbb to the display, where it was eating too slowly to compete with the piglets in there.

Now, I never use a feeder as my cbb is the pushiest pig in the pen.

Good luck!

Sounds fair. I think my QT tank with some live rock in it will help me monitor its feeding and transition it to frozen foods without worrying about my piglets. It's amazing how much my herbivore Tang loves frozen shimp. LOL

 

[MPS]

This topic comes up very often. You can use the search function for more suggestions.
Most important points in my opinion:
Make sure you have some live rock. They naturally pick off of rockwork. They need to be trained to feed from the water column. That means squish frozen foods into the rockwork for it to pick at. They are also natural worm eaters so live worms including the small feather dusters will help. Mine wouldn't even eat live black worms for 5 days but I'm sure it was picking at all my live rock which helped it pull through

will do for sure.
thanks

 

[Michael Hicks]

Pickup some feeder guppies or mollies that are already saltwater. They breed like crazy in my tank, copperbad, wrasses etc... all make quick work and it’s a sustainable food source. I feed all sorts of other frozen and small marine live ghost shrimp, you can buy the saltwater ghost shrimp they also breed in the tank like crazy. Checkout
http://www.mariculturetechnology.com

Live shrimp etc... overnight. Also checkout the saltwater feeders, small guppies and mollies and in no time they have lots of babies. I’ve had them in my reef tanks for years.

 

[fishbox]

It took mine a day or so two start eating. Mine goes for LRS and mysis, but I recently picked up some masstick from BRS and he goes crazy for it. You can also reconstitute it with selcon or something to boost the nutrition of it.

This is exactly what mine loves.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Takes 3-4 days and they need enticement. My best luck was seaweed sheets(nori) , live brine shrimp, LRS food once eating/pecking at seaweed and even live bloodworms which looks like Aptasia to them.