Copper band butterfly not eating

[NYFrank]

Greetings All- I have had NO success with with feeding them. I have over the past few months lost 3 of them. They live for a few days pick at the LR and slowly die. I have tried live brine, frozen, flakes, pellets, squid and many other foods. I tried feeding the others first and then using a coral feeder to feed them alone. On a few occasions one ate a few brine shrimps (frozen) but didnt continue. I also tried when the lights are out. The ones I get are small about 1-1/2". Should I try a larger size? also I get them online from one of RC sponsors. I have never had any problems with them in the past. Any suggestions with what others have done. I feel bad to keep getting them and have them die.:sad1:

 

[Freed]

Black worms

 

[SDguy]

IMO/E 1.5" is too small for success. Butterflies that small starve way too quickly. Look for one at least 3", and do not buy it unless it's eating at the LFS. And yes, as freed mentioned, blackworms are usually accepted, if nothing else. Make sure to feed the blacworms selcon to make them more nutritious.

hth

 

[Freed]

Mine can't get enough black worms in its mouth fast enough. It tries to steal them from my 8" orange spot rabbit. I bought it on Feb. 10 when it was about 1.5"-2" and started it out on frozen brine for a few days BUT YOU MUST MOVE VERY SLOWLY ANYWHERE NEAR THE TANK OR YOU WILL SCARE IT INTO HIDING. Not yelling just emphasizing. BE VERY SLOW around the tank or it will hide and not want to eat. After it was eating the frozen brine for the first few days I mixed in a few frozen mysis which it started taking to more than the brine after a few more days. After this I then started introducing the live black worms which it could not get enough of and started ignoring the brine and the mysis. It will now eat mysis and black worms with passion.

 

[Waxxiemann]

mine will only take live mussles and blood worms. They are hard fish. Try and get a large specimen. I got mine when it was about 4".

Good luck, don't give up.

 

[AQUALA]

Try putting a scallop in the tank. They will start nibbling on it.

 

[carman9941]

blood worms and the angel food works for me

 

[dhoch]

Do a search here (as I've posted this several times, and know of others with success with this methodology...

Take a algae clip, and a mussel or clam (live)... break the hinge (I'm sure theres a technical name for this) enough so it is gapping a little (not a lot, but enough so the CBB can get its mouth in)... Attach this to the algae clip and put in an area where CBB frequents (on the glass preferablly so hermits won't get it)

Given time the CBB should find it at start picking at it finding the food.

You then can take an emptied shell and put other foods in it, and eventuall migrate to some kind of feeder (I use a worm feeder).

This is a fair amount of work, but this is not a simple species.

Dave

 

[mcurl98]

yeah, go bigger and I'd probably buy from another source. Live Aquaria sells the ones collected in Australia and they tend to eat better-more $ though.

 

[bigevill1]

Mine was eating mysis fine for the first month it was in my tank and has now stopped for the last two days. Where does one get live black worms from anyway? Will these fish eat maxima clams and the like? I have never had any, but was thinking about getting some. If they would eat them then I know not too.

 

[Billybeau1]

I couldnt get my butterfly to eat at first. Went to the butcher and picked up some fresh mussels. Freeze first then thaw, crack open and drop in the tank.

 

[bigevill1]

the only ones by me are already out of the shell. I just called around to my local stores to see.

 

[Billybeau1]

That should still be ok I would think. Just remember to freeze them first.

Actually, the first time I fed my butterfly, I scooped the mussel out and cut it in tiny pieces.

 

[Waxxiemann]

Why freeze them first? Just wondering cause I have never done this before. Actually when I first got the mussles I did freeze them but then I thought that would "kill" them and have been keeping them live ever since.

Thanks.

 

[Billybeau1]

Wax, not sure exactly but something about killing bad bacteria that might be in the mussels.

Anyways, I was told to do it and I did it and my fish survived and is now eating regular.

I dont mess with success.

 

[Waxxiemann]

that makes sense. I was worried about introducing somthing into my aquarium. Also, if you freeze them, they should last a lot longer as well.

Like I said, i still have some frozen ones and I'll see if he takes them tonight.

Cheers.

 

[jda]

Mine survived on pods for 2-3 months before he would eat anything else - it is a good thing that I have plenty of pods.

Then, he started to eat mysis and other raw seafood. Now he will eat some flake and even angel forumla and formula II cubes if he is really hungry.

Mine never ate any aiptasia - which is why I got him in the first place.

I like to get small ones so that the reef can sustain them longer on worms/pods if they don't eat. However, this is risky because they are fragile when small.

 

[bigevill1]

well mine does not look stressed or thin, maybe he is just eating enough off the rocks that he doesnt want to touch the mysis. I guess I will find out. I do have more then 200# of live rock in the tank.....

 

[Rothie]

I have had my Copperband since the end of January.He was in excellent health and eating Mysis when I purchased him,but I have never seen him actively eat anything I put in the tank except for 2 Mysis and a nibble of live mussel.He also ate one tiny aptasia,although I didn't witness it.He has never been shy,and has grown and gained weight.He is always picking in the corals and rocks.Since he is not aggressive feeder,I belive he eats most of the food that falls into the rocks and corals,along with feather dusters and other things he finds to his liking.He is in a 300G LPS tank with a DSB.

 

[bigevill1]

well mine died yesterday. He was eating fine up untill wed night. Saturday morning he was dead. Something else had to be wrong for him to fall off that fast.