my CBB is still alive!!

[smitten with ocean life]

im SO excited!! my second try at a CBB and it is still alive and happy and EATING! Its been several weeks now so im starting to relax a little. now my question is.... when do they start mowing down the aiptasia???

 

[Steve and his Animals]

I would relax if you have it for about 6 months, a year, etc., but you gotta start somewhere. Some of them never touch aiptasia, which can be good as it usually won't touch coral in that case.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

oh help. dont tell me that. this is the first one that i could even get to eat. hence the excitement

 

[Steve and his Animals]

oh help. dont tell me that. this is the first one that i could even get to eat. hence the excitement

getting them to eat is only the first hurdle, the next is getting them to eat enough

 

[Koty]

IME, Aiptasia for CBB is like eating a habanero pepper. It takes some effort to eat it, at least that’s how it looks. One day you will find that all Aiptasia are gone. (Same with acans if you have any)

 

[OrionN]

When they are eating well and getting fat, then you can start to limit the amount of food you feed them. I feed 1 cube per day until they are fat, then decrease to 1 cub in the afternoon only.
Another trick is to disturb the aiptasia. The tentacles are where the sting cells of the aitptasia are, once I see they occasionally pick at the aiptasia, I turn the rock that contain the aiptasia upside down or side way. This will cause contraction of the tentacles, and expose the soft, tasty, non-stinging part of the aiptasia open for attack by the CBB. This often cause them to destroy the exposed aiptasia. Once they are well on their way to eating aiptasia, no help is needed

 

[smitten with ocean life]

interesting! ive been feeding a frozen cube in the morning and one in the eve. hes always right there just chowing away! but man, i wish i would start seeing the aiptasia disappear!!

 

[MnFish1]

oh help. dont tell me that. this is the first one that i could even get to eat. hence the excitement

It is exciting that the fish is eating - congrats!!. (That said, mine never ate aiptasia)

 

[OrionN]

 

[MnFish1]

interesting! ive been feeding a frozen cube in the morning and one in the eve. hes always right there just chowing away! but man, i wish i would start seeing the aiptasia disappear!!

One thing I was surprised about with this fish is the amount of food it can actually eat as it grows. It reminds me of a pelican in a way - one would think it requires small (tiny) pieces of food. I fed LRS - and mine could easily eat a dime sized thawed piece of fish flesh (as an appetizer)

 

[Paul B]

They do eat an awful lot for a fish with such a small mouth. I never had problems with them and they usually live to about 10 years, then I have problems. I had, I think 3 of mine lived that long but that fish can probably live at least 15 years (I am guessing) Maybe they get senile.

I feed them live worms and clams that I buy fresh and freeze myself and I would never quarantine or medicate one.

 

[EakTheFreak]

Quarantine Experience with Copperband Butterfly Fish

Good Evening, I’ve documented my experience with BLUE STAR LEOPARDS which is considered a difficult expert level fish and they are now going on 3 months in my DT and doing wonderful. Figured I would document my CopperBand Butterfly experience even though I’m late to the game slightly since...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[OrionN]

They do eat an awful lot for a fish with such a small mouth. I never had problems with them and they usually live to about 10 years, then I have problems. I had, I think 3 of mine lived that long but that fish can probably live at least 15 years (I am guessing) Maybe they get senile.

I feed them live worms and clams that I buy fresh and freeze myself and I would never quarantine or medicate one.

That is one fat CBB Paul

 

[doodledreads]

My CBB (purchased fully grown) lasted about three years and ate pretty much everything but her favorite food was easyreefs mastick. I don’t know if I would keep one again though. I want to keep some Christmas worms and clams this time.

 

[Biff0rz]

Mine won't touch aptasisa. Then again I feed him good. If you need a cbb feeder I sell one, it's listed in the 3d printed section of this site. Many folks here have one and love it. It just works.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Congrats on having an eating CBB! I know the thrill you felt seeing it eat for the first time in your tank
I had purchased 3 CBBs from my LFS on different occasions and they all succumbed to flukes/being too skinny. After the third one passed, I let my tank run fallow for 80 days. My Quarantined CBB and Longnose Butterflyfish came in fat and ready to eat for a species as beautiful and infamous as this one, Quarantined is the smart choice.

Here's a top down view of my little fatty

 

[smitten with ocean life]

fabulous! loving everyones input! except those who say theirs didnt eat aiptasia! jk