Talk me in/out copperband addition.

I do think I’m going to roll the dice. Mirrors on both sides of the tank. And all my fish eat frozen like mad. So hopefully that will trigger the feeding response.
Not gonna lie, I was really concerned for a few days it would die from being bullied. I did the mirror thing and ALL the fish including the cbb hated their reflections. But everything calmed down after several days. Now no one pays any mind to one another.
 
Took the plunge and nabbed him in the qt and placed in the display. Tang shouldered up a bit but that was it. The CBB has found its reflection and is sitting right there by it. I had luck with adding and removing the mirrors periodically. Gave everyone a chance to be fight their reflection and then chill out.
 
Train the cbb on the feeder that I make and he will always be fat. This assumes you can get him in the tank properly. I have mine in a tank with 4 tangs and a trigger (+more), no issues 3 years+.
 
Train the cbb on the feeder that I make and he will always be fat. This assumes you can get him in the tank properly. I have mine in a tank with 4 tangs and a trigger (+more), no issues 3 years+.
That’s the plan. I have a feeder for him. Just have to jump the initial eating hurdle.
 
Day three and still no meaningful eating. Just some picking at rocks. Settling in to the display well. Been throwing the kitchen sink at my display in an attempt to eat. Still active and running around the tank. Was even spending time with the scopas and foxface this morning. Still holding on hope that it decides to eat. Was surprised that not a single thing in my display even tasted the masstick.
 
Emailed with Dr. reef. Didn’t seem too concerned for three days of not eating. Had an idea in regards to the printed reef feeder. I think I’m going to take some frozen bloodworms and pack the feeder. Instead of putting the feeder in the tank wall I’m going to set it bottom side down on the sand. Maybe as the cubes thaw and the current moves the worms will float upwards and entice some feeding. My nine year old fed my tank this morning so I’m not sure if the CBB ate this morning or not.
 
I've got a recently introduced copperband here who was in pretty much the same state; picking at the rocks, ignoring frozen foods.
As an enrichment for my tangs / angels / klein's butterfly, I've been using a veggie-clip on a string to hang either a frozen/thawed littleneck clam or blue mussel (I get them in the seafood department of the local grocery store) in the water column. The fish like to pick at it as it opens over the course of the day. Well, it turns out that shell, open by about 1/4", is a perfect spot for a copperband to slip his nose into and pick out mouthfuls of mussel. It does mean hanging a mussel in the tank every day, but so far, so good - and hopefully, s/he'll realize the prepared foods that I use are also pretty tasty.

*I can't guarantee this will work for every copperband - this is at least the third one I've tried.

~B.
 
I've got a recently introduced copperband here who was in pretty much the same state; picking at the rocks, ignoring frozen foods.
As an enrichment for my tangs / angels / klein's butterfly, I've been using a veggie-clip on a string to hang either a frozen/thawed littleneck clam or blue mussel (I get them in the seafood department of the local grocery store) in the water column. The fish like to pick at it as it opens over the course of the day. Well, it turns out that shell, open by about 1/4", is a perfect spot for a copperband to slip his nose into and pick out mouthfuls of mussel. It does mean hanging a mussel in the tank every day, but so far, so good - and hopefully, s/he'll realize the prepared foods that I use are also pretty tasty.

*I can't guarantee this will work for every copperband - this is at least the third one I've tried.

~B.
Thanks for the advice. I have been half shelling and just barely cracking little necks open and haven’t had much luck!
 
been in the display for a week. Have seen it peck at a frozen clam once or twice. Otherwise, not eating frozen. Still appears as active as he was when I first introduced. Must be eating something.
 
been in the display for a week. Have seen it peck at a frozen clam once or twice. Otherwise, not eating frozen. Still appears as active as he was when I first introduced. Must be eating something.
Continue aggressively attempting to get it to eat. The perfectly healthy CBB I got from Dr. Reef in 2022 was the same, hunting/pecking around the rocks of the tank plus would eat some Masstick. After 3 weeks of that behavior, he perished, as he'd never identify any food in the water column.
 
Continue aggressively attempting to get it to eat. The perfectly healthy CBB I got from Dr. Reef in 2022 was the same, hunting/pecking around the rocks of the tank plus would eat some Masstick. After 3 weeks of that behavior, he perished, as he'd never identify any food in the water column.
I’m afraid that the way this one may go. At least yours would eat masstick. Nothing in my tank will even bother with it.
 
Try cutting up the clam into tiny pieces, mix in some mysis , smear it on a rock pushing it into the crevices, put the rock in the freezer to set up then put it back in the tank. That's how I get picky butterflies to eat. My CBB also goes crazy for live black worms. Good luck.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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