copper banded butterfly
- Thread starter chuggy
- Start date
totalfreedom
In Memoriam
Best thing to do is to start them off on live black worms, i have 4 copperbands and all were started on live black worms, after they settle in they will accept different foods for ya, but get them on this asap or they will waste away in a few weeks.
totalfreedom
In Memoriam
In my experience cb once acclimated will live for many years, a family member once had one for over 5 yrs, and was eating just about anything he threw in, the acclimation is the most important part, and the black worms are the key to my success with these guys, i bought four at my wholesaler last year and i got them all going on the worms, im sure there are many other methods to get them going as well. It seems that once they get going on the worms and see other tank mates eating they soon learn to take other foods. I have seen them eat small feather dusters and even small bristtle worms from live rock, so i think worms are a natural prey item in nature, and thier mouths are made to eat them. Make sure you keep the worms in the fridge, and clean them out with fresh declorinated water on a daily basis, just enough water to keep them covered.
totalfreedom
In Memoriam
Outerbanks, you can get them at your lfs, if they carry them.
Outerbank
New member
Thanks totalfreedom. I had a copperband for 3 years and he ate many different foods. I had to give him and my tank away 2 years ago when I moved. I just started to restock fish in a tank I set up after the move.
Totalfreedom, do you have all 4 living togethere? That would be neat to see. If so, do they all get along?
Totalfreedom, do you have all 4 living togethere? That would be neat to see. If so, do they all get along?
Why read a different forum. Check this thread right here on RC in Reef Fishes. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1157901 This thread is stuck at the top. It gives warnings about Butterfly fish. It's enough of a warning to cause one to read further or ask questions.
lil_cheeks
New member
They are very picky, keep feeding mysis and maybe throw a couple aiptasia in with it....if you dare.
I was very successful with Black Mussels and Cockleshell Clams (better known as Live Mussels & Clams) from my local grocery store. This is all my CB ever ate. Very nutricous. I would just buy about a dozen of each and keep them in my freezer, then drop one in each day. Not only did the CB love them, but most of my other fish would also love these as well.
flashyleopard
Member
There are several threads that describe how and what foods to use to get them eating. One thing that has not been mentioned, is that by mixing up frozen mysis, clam, or what have you and packing onto a small scrub brush, you can freeze this, place it in the rocks, and allow the fish to pick food from the rocks, as it would in nature. I have to point out, that is not my own idea....I read it here on one of the cbb threads and do not know who to give credit to.
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totalfreedom
In Memoriam
Outerbank, i have them in different tanks, i have never tried to keep them together though, its possible that if they where a pair they would do alright, i have a pair of bannerfish which paired, but later bullied a third banner to death. Im sure if you kept them together something similar would happen as well.
