Is this the key to having a thriving CBB?

[i cant think]

So, I have kept my CBB for 2.5 years (3 years in March). I added it in after my tang and foxface but I had an aptaisia growing and that same aptaisia is now like 2.5” across so the CBB doesn’t mess with it. I have however seen him eating aptaisia from the rocks (I have thrown in aptaisia filled rocks to the tank today and he instantly went at it - The Foxface did the same!! Never knew that would happen).
How many people have their CBB’s that thrive and don’t eat aptaisia?
Is it mostly the ones that don’t eat it that die off?

here’s mine from early this morning. He’s certainly a pig and eats anything but I think that he also gets fed all the time through the mother aptaisia multiplying.

 

[T-J]

I have yet to see mine eat a single aiptasia. I do see it eat with all the other fish during feeding times. I think the key is that you CBB eats, and has low stress.

 

[HK180]

My tank doesn't have aiptasia.

I heard that copperbands are more easily trained onto food when small (2-2.5") and purchased a small one. He only eats clams and oysters, but is very fat and healthy. I think that the biggest contributor to their health is giving them sufficient food to graze on.

 

[sp1187]

mine eats the small ones, but not the bigger ones.

 

[i cant think]

mine eats the small ones, but not the bigger ones.

It’s the same thing over here, but I feel like these guys need to be fed constantly through the rocks and and aptaisia to me is the easiest way for mine to get food from the rocks. Since aptaisia is a natural diet you’d think it’s better getting one that eats aptaisia because it can thrive in a tank with aptaisia? I know several other things about keeping them is low stress and basically the same as tilefish care.

 

[Tamberav]

aiptasia is a lot of water and not that nutritious imo. They naturally eat worms off the rocks too which are a lot better diet wise.

Once eating quality food they are pretty easy. They don’t need nearly as much food as a mandarin or anthias. Twice a day of the right foods is more than sufficient.

 

[i cant think]

aiptasia is a lot of water and not that nutritious imo. They naturally eat worms off the rocks too which are a lot better diet wise.

Once eating quality food they are pretty easy. They don’t need nearly as much food as a mandarin or anthias. Twice a day of the right foods is more than sufficient.

Yeah, that’s true but if you kept an aptaisia healthy enough surely the CBB would get nutrients from it? Also, mine did nothing during a flatworm outbreak so that’s where my wrasse came in. Mine stays away from worms and goes after nems, I think I now know where my BTA went after it hid in a small crevice.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

mine doesn't touch it, but i only have one here or there. Mine won't even touch a christmas tree worm rock... lol.

I started him on live black worms and open manila clams, then frozen black worms (ordered alive and frozen), now a mix of frozen black worm and blood worms.. He just started taking the blood worms, which is nice.

 

[Paul B]

mine eats the small ones, but not the bigger ones.

Thats what most of them do.

 

[Tamberav]

Yeah, that’s true but if you kept an aptaisia healthy enough surely the CBB would get nutrients from it? Also, mine did nothing during a flatworm outbreak so that’s where my wrasse came in. Mine stays away from worms and goes after nems, I think I now know where my BTA went after it hid in a small crevice.

No I doubt that the Aiptasia provides much. Like I said, they are mostly water. I am not staying they won’t get anything at all from it. Just that it’s not important to the long term health of the fish. LRS, clam, or live worms will be better and most copperbands eventually eat those.

I am not talking about flat forms. They go nuts for small feather dusters and spaghetti worms.

 

[i cant think]

No I doubt that the Aiptasia provides much. Like I said, they are mostly water. I am not staying they won’t get anything at all from it. Just that it’s not important to the long term health of the fish. LRS, clam, or live worms will be better and most copperbands eventually eat those.

I am not talking about flat forms. They go nuts for small feather dusters and spaghetti worms.

My only issue with feeding a clam is I may eventually want to add a clam to that tank and I’d fear the CBB looked at it as food after feeding it with clams.
Mine ignores the worms altogether so, I’m not sure how true that second bit is (Unless I’ve just got the odd one out). I don’t risk adding feather dusters because I have never been able to grow them, even before the CBB went in none grew

 

[jtf74]

2+ YEARS w/ my cbb. Mine loves aiptasia and I raise them in another tank just for it. Mine will decimate them so I scrape a few each day to add to the mysis. Never seen an aiptaisa too big for it to tear it to pieces. Also loves worms. The great thing about aiptasia for me is nothing else in the tank will touch it so guaranteed the cbb always gets it where as they all will eat worms.