My Copperband Butterflyfish is a bully?!

[BigJohnny]

Waaaaaaat, I have never heard of a Copperband bullying another fish. I've heard plenty about them being bullied however. They are shy, delicate, finicky eaters, will not survive if bullied, etc. My Copperband Butterflyfish is a voracious eater, borderline aggressive. It's also been chasing my established helfrichi into its hole EVERYTIME it comes out. The poor thing has probably eaten only a couple spirulina brine shrimp (only thing it will even attempt to come out for now) over the last week. It was so hungry today that it ventured all the way to the other side of the tank only for the Copperband to go after it 4 times until it raced to the other side and jumped before diving back down into its hole. This hobby never fails to amaze me. Anyone else seen this behaviour with this species?

 

[Zack K]

I have seen butterfly fish on multiple cases become bullies. As they become adjusted and in and amongst other smaller fish. They realize they are the biggest. They are very smart fish.

 

[BigJohnny]

I have seen butterfly fish on multiple cases become bullies. As they become adjusted and in and amongst other smaller fish. They realize they are the biggest. They are very smart fish.

Guess peaceful is not the description they should have on live aquaria then ; )

Never even considered it. My helfrichi may die from not eating while hiding, hopefully not!

But yea, awesome fish, super smart.

 

[Zack K]

Guess peaceful is not the description they should have on live aquaria then ; )

Never even considered it. My helfrichi may die from not eating while hiding, hopefully not!

But yea, awesome fish, super smart.

How much and what do you feed? Maybe try putting in the food on two ends of the tank to distract the CB.
Yes they are smart! Actually I have found Butterflies can catch on to how other fish act fairly quickly. I have gotten MANY butterflies to start eating by putting them in a tank with other butterflies eating. They catch on quickly.

-Zack, who wants to further his Butterfly experience even further .

 

[BigJohnny]

How much and what do you feed? Maybe try putting in the food on two ends of the tank to distract the CB.
Yes they are smart! Actually I have found Butterflies can catch on to how other fish act fairly quickly. I have gotten MANY butterflies to start eating by putting them in a tank with other butterflies eating. They catch on quickly.

-Zack, who wants to further his Butterfly experience even further .

I feed 4x per day. LRS fish frenzy, spirulina brine, live blackworms, and nutramar ova. And I overfeed on top of that. If there was any environment where the helfrichi would come out and eat, it would be my tank lol. I've tried the two ends thing, problem is the helfrichi won't come out if I'm standing infront of its hole, it will stay out all day if it's already out but that's it. Well see, it was more bold today and the copperband isn't actually attacking it, so maybe itl toughen up. I may try and bend a tube into an L shape and funnel food in its hole.

 

[eatbreakfast]

There is an aggressive copperband in a tank I take care of. He relentlessly attacked a flame angel that went in after him. The good news is ones that behave like that are super hardy.

 

[BigJohnny]

There is an aggressive copperband in a tank I take care of. He relentlessly attacked a flame angel that went in after him. The good news is ones that behave like that are super hardy.

Well copperband has always been my one of dream fish so if it's aggressive but super hardy i guess I can deal with that. I noticed it chasing around my two leopard wrasse just a bit today but they all always hang out so seemed more playful. The leopard wrasse returned the favor shortly after.

The helfrichi is such a shy fish to begin with I think it seems worse than it is. Like I said, it's never attacked it, just chased it for a couple inches everytime it comes out lol. I'm a little concerned about adding more fish now though, which I am 100% doing. Especially the flame angel now that you've told me that story! Flame angel last is the plan, so I guess I can see how it reacts to the other new fish first (chromis, anthias, wrasse, goby) before the similar body shape of flame.

 

[VbReefer]

Mine isn't a bully but I have 3 bigger tangs that may help. It has started picking the antennas off my snails. Causing them to stay closed most of the day.
It's also decimated all visible spionid worms in my sandbed ,which I love.
I don't have any aptasia in this tank and he doesn't touch the few majanos I've yet to kill.

Moved it into another tank so my micro-life can recover. As soon as I put it in that tank it immediately hit a few aptasia. Doesn't seem interested in finishing the job though. May just be too large I could see it being much more effective on smaller ones.

 

[Seth Francis]

I’ve never seen aggression from a CB butterfly, but that said I only kept one. I had him for about 3 years with 3 tangs, a sailfin, a flame angel and a Koran. It was in with plenty of bigger fish, that may be a solution to look at. Are you able to introduce a large, more passive, fish?

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

My cbb has only been in my dt for a few months. He isn't a bully to anyone however he certainly doesn't take any grief. He is with a large, gluttonous foxface and isn't afraid to challenge it for food until the last crumbs are gone.

So far it's a wonderful addition to my tank.

 

[BigJohnny]

I’ve never seen aggression from a CB butterfly, but that said I only kept one. I had him for about 3 years with 3 tangs, a sailfin, a flame angel and a Koran. It was in with plenty of bigger fish, that may be a solution to look at. Are you able to introduce a large, more passive, fish?

I could but would take 6 weeks of qt first to get there and I have 2 other fish planned that are not large. Having said that, maybe just introducing more fish in general will help. Good idea though, I'll look into it.

 

[Seth Francis]

I could but would take 6 weeks of qt first to get there and I have 2 other fish planned that are not large. Having said that, maybe just introducing more fish in general will help. Good idea though, I'll look into it.

Just be careful of what you put in, and perhaps all will settle itself out

 

[Havasuviking]

Traveling back to home with CBB!

 

[BigJohnny]

Just be careful of what you put in, and perhaps all will settle itself out

Yeah definitely, my planned stocking list is all peaceful fish except for the flame angel which I will be adding last and as a smaller fish than my cbb. I will use my acclimation box as well. Hopefully the cbb doesn't go after him/her! I would add an equal size/large flame but it's considered the more aggressive fish so overall for the tank I think a small one is best

 

[BigJohnny]

Traveling back to home with CBB!

Good luck!

 

[Seth Francis]

Yeah definitely, my planned stocking list is all peaceful fish except for the flame angel which I will be adding last and as a smaller fish than my cbb. I will use my acclimation box as well. Hopefully the cbb doesn't go after him/her! I would add an equal size/large flame but it's considered the more aggressive fish so overall for the tank I think a small one is best

I ALWAYS try and purchase juvenile (itty bitty baby) fish when possible. 1. They live longer, 2. They grow and become accustomed to the tank alongside other fish, 3. It’s awesome watching somthing cute and tiny grow big and awesome.

There are a couple downsides; higher mortality rate, you often need to acclimate them to different foods, and if you already have an established tank it can be difficult adding small fish with bigger fish that want to eat your new little morsel

 

[Jesterrace]

Well copperband has always been my one of dream fish so if it's aggressive but super hardy i guess I can deal with that. I noticed it chasing around my two leopard wrasse just a bit today but they all always hang out so seemed more playful. The leopard wrasse returned the favor shortly after.

The helfrichi is such a shy fish to begin with I think it seems worse than it is. Like I said, it's never attacked it, just chased it for a couple inches everytime it comes out lol. I'm a little concerned about adding more fish now though, which I am 100% doing. Especially the flame angel now that you've told me that story! Flame angel last is the plan, so I guess I can see how it reacts to the other new fish first (chromis, anthias, wrasse, goby) before the similar body shape of flame.

Firefish and Dartfish in general are the most easily targeted and bullied fish that I have seen. I had a Purple in my tank that was targeted by a Flame Angel, Solar Fairy Wrasse (aka Red Head Salon Fairy Wrasse) and a Snowflake Clownfish. It basically spent all it's time in hiding whether there were other bullying fish in the tank or not. My Scissortail wasn't much better. They ended up dying from repeated stress from bullying and a run in with an aiptaisia anemone. I will never own another dartfish again.

 

[BigJohnny]

Firefish and Dartfish in general are the most easily targeted and bullied fish that I have seen. I had a Purple in my tank that was targeted by a Flame Angel, Solar Fairy Wrasse (aka Red Head Salon Fairy Wrasse) and a Snowflake Clownfish. It basically spent all it's time in hiding whether there were other bullying fish in the tank or not. My Scissortail wasn't much better. They ended up dying from repeated stress from bullying and a run in with an aiptaisia anemone. I will never own another dartfish again.

Unfortunately I fear this will be the outcome. I have not seen it being bullied or chased again but it usuallu only darts out of its hole for a few seconds to grab passing food about 3-5 times a day. If it even sees fish within 24" it darts back in. Poor little guy. Was nothing like that until I added the copperband and filefish.

Having said that, it has come out more than it was originally so maybe it will improve. Fingers crossed

 

[MPS]

Jealous. I’m on my 3rd CBB now. I just haven’t been able to get them to eat. My tank is much more established now with plenty of live goodies to eat. This one did eat at the LFS and held its own against two other CBB’s that were pushing it around.
I’m worried now because my Clown Tang is being a bully and keeping the CBB penned in a cave. Hoping they “work it out” soon.

 

[Gablami]

Yeah I’m jealous too. Let me know if it doesn’t work out for you. Would pay good money for a hardy CBB even if it is aggressive. Tired of sending them to a watery grave — gave up a while ago.