My Copperband Butterflyfish is a bully?!

[BigJohnny]

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.

Sorry to hear that, have you tried live blackworms or clams? If they wont eat either one of those they wont eat anything. Mine loves lrs fish frenzy too, probably because it has both in it, although it goes CRAZY for live blackworms and would only eat those at first. Whatever is naturally occurring in your tank is not enough to sustain them.

Unfortunately I doubt the clown tang will stop before the CBB perishes. It can be very difficult to add a CBB to a tank with established tangs and is not recommended. I hope it works out though!

 

[BigJohnny]

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.

They have learned to coexist, the helfrichi just steers clear now. Sorry you didn't have any luck, many others can relate. How did they die?

 

[Gablami]

They have learned to coexist, the helfrichi just steers clear now. Sorry you didn't have any luck, many others can relate. How did they die?

Typically would be eating at the store, and stop eating after a few days with me. I’ve tried everything. Having them in their own tank without competition...Mastick, clams, live black worms, cbb feeder. I got one to live about 4 months, but he mysteriously stopped eating after taking to the clams.

 

[Instigate]

I QT'd my CBB with a yellow watchman goby and I would see the goby bite at the CBB when he got too close to the goby's hide. But the CBB never even flinched and kept moving and there was no damage. Then I noticed that if the goby ventured out of his hide he would quickly be chased back in. Once in the DT my CBB would chase every other fish in the tank, all of them being much smaller peaceful fish. He never did any damage and it just seemed like posturing to figure out the pecking order. But It was funny that a CBB was the tank boss. Mine also picked at all my snails so they only came out at night after a while.

 

[OriginalUserName]

My CBB is a model citizen, even when he was the largest fish in the tank. Spends all his time hunting worms and such so he doesn't have time to mess with the neighbors.

 

[vetteguy53081]

That's crazy ! Generally they are the ones bullied. Is it aggressive with feeding, towards others or both?
Im stumped as to what would make it aggressive.

 

[jd371]

Mine's not a bully, but he doesn't take any harassment from other fish and will answer right back.

 

[jsvand5]

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.

Good luck. That clown tang is likely to just keep getting worse. They are the devil

 

[Abhishek]

Good luck. That clown tang is likely to just keep getting worse. They are the devil

I agree more than 200% ! @MPS - how big is the tank ? I would never ever put a clown in any tank less than 350-400 and even then you are not sure if it won't be a bully . I have seen a clown torment even huge emperor to death .
If there's 1 fish I hate to not put in a tank , it would be a clown tang man !

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[BigJohnny]

Typically would be eating at the store, and stop eating after a few days with me. I’ve tried everything. Having them in their own tank without competition...Mastick, clams, live black worms, cbb feeder. I got one to live about 4 months, but he mysteriously stopped eating after taking to the clams.

Unfortunately this appears to be very common

 

[BigJohnny]

That's crazy ! Generally they are the ones bullied. Is it aggressive with feeding, towards others or both?
Im stumped as to what would make it aggressive.

It is very friendly to all of the fish now and only had those few isolated incidents early where it didnt even want the helfrichi in the water column lol. Now the helfrichi just steers clear and the cbb doesnt go out of it's way to find it or anything. To be fair, even my leopard wrasses did that to the helfrichi at one point. I'm not sure why it got bullied so much.

The cbb is just a very energetic and powerful fish with a huge appetite, so it really goes after food. It will steal it out of my other fishes mouths if they get any right before him and are close enough. Sometimes if the other fish block its path it will swoop near them to get them to move but never anything else. I think it just has an extraordinary appetite which obviously is good. It's also in a 90g so maybe in a 6ft+ tank it would act differently.

 

[BigJohnny]

I agree more than 200% ! @MPS - how big is the tank ? I would never ever put a clown in any tank less than 350-400 and even then you are not sure if it won't be a bully . I have seen a clown torment even huge emperor to death .
If there's 1 fish I hate to not put in a tank , it would be a clown tang man !

Regards,
Abhishek

I have heard this as well. It's a shame because they are so pretty imo.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is very friendly to all of the fish now and only had those few isolated incidents early where it didnt even want the helfrichi in the water column lol. Now the helfrichi just steers clear and the cbb doesnt go out of it's way to find it or anything. To be fair, even my leopard wrasses did that to the helfrichi at one point. I'm not sure why it got bullied so much.

The cbb is just a very energetic and powerful fish with a huge appetite, so it really goes after food. It will steal it out of my other fishes mouths if they get any right before him and are close enough. Sometimes if the other fish block its path it will swoop near them to get them to move but never anything else. I think it just has an extraordinary appetite which obviously is good. It's also in a 90g so maybe in a 6ft+ tank it would act differently.

That's good news. Sounds like a definite winner/keeper

 

[MPS]

I agree more than 200% ! @MPS - how big is the tank ? I would never ever put a clown in any tank less than 350-400 and even then you are not sure if it won't be a bully . I have seen a clown torment even huge emperor to death .
If there's 1 fish I hate to not put in a tank , it would be a clown tang man !

Regards,
Abhishek

I am aware that my Clown Tang will need a larger tank at some point. This one is still a baby and has plenty of room. He has a home waiting for him in a 750gal when it’s time. If he continues this behavior that time may be sooner than later.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine’s becoming a little jerk

 

[Shooter6]

Place a mirror against the glass, bigger is better. The cb will be preoccupied with itself. I do this when i add tangs to my established reef. Works every time.