Copperband Butterfly Primer
- Thread starter BrianD
- Start date
kudora
thread reader
i spent 25 dollars trying to get him to feed on the blackworms, i also wish he would have liked them, he is eating well but i always worry.
Urchinhead
New member
I am considering going with a CBB for my tank. I have access to one that is eating live brine. I would like to get him onto PE Mysid and ultimately pellet if possible. I quarantine all (ok well most of them anyway) my fish. My QT tank is a 10 gallon. Would it be ok to put a 3" CBB into said tank for both QT and to work on training for Mysid? I ask because I think its too small but wanted to get a more expert opinion...
Paul B
Premium Member
10 gallons would definately stress a copperband. I have had dozens of them and never saw one of them eat pellets. Brine shrimp also will not keep one alive very long but almost all of them will eat live brine. Most will eat mysids but they should also be given live blackworms.
I have spent some time with them in the sea and they were built to eat worms.
I have spent some time with them in the sea and they were built to eat worms.
Urchinhead
New member
Thank you Paul. Good to know. I can do live black worms easily but would rather not. Yeah... Brine shrimp... Potato chips of the sea. 
kudora
thread reader
i had to do a special order at my LFS since they dont usually carry them, that bought me a 1/4 pound.
ryshark
Active member
Thats a lot of worms.... I couldnt hardly use 1oz up in a week before most of the worms were dead.
kudora
thread reader
you have to keep them in the fridge and change the water out daily and they will live for about a month. put enough water to barely cover them, i know they sell containers at aquatic foods.
Paul B
Premium Member
I have used live blackworms for over 30 years, I feed them almost every day so I need a way to keep them alive a long time. They are common here so I don't have to order large amounts, I can just buy them by the ounce for under $2.00.
I keep them in my worm keeper. The worms need very shallow swiftly moving water and I feed them so they stay fat and healthy. This thing is my newest model. I needed to build a larger one because I have some fish which I collected and they only eat worms.
This model holds more than a gallon of water and is operated with a tiny pump. The water moves from left to right and drops into a small tank. There is a series of barriers which prevent the worms from entering the tank below. If a few stray worms do enter the tank, they fall into a container and are easy to suck out.
It seems to work very well so far.
Here is my old air operated model which I retired for now. It worked flawlessly for many years.
It is too small for my current needs.
I keep them in my worm keeper. The worms need very shallow swiftly moving water and I feed them so they stay fat and healthy. This thing is my newest model. I needed to build a larger one because I have some fish which I collected and they only eat worms.
This model holds more than a gallon of water and is operated with a tiny pump. The water moves from left to right and drops into a small tank. There is a series of barriers which prevent the worms from entering the tank below. If a few stray worms do enter the tank, they fall into a container and are easy to suck out.
It seems to work very well so far.
Here is my old air operated model which I retired for now. It worked flawlessly for many years.
It is too small for my current needs.
I had a 75g live rock \ fish. With a very nice light and a minor aptasia problem. I fed him muscles and he ate the normal feeding of mysis shrimp. Seemed to act very natural and lived for many months (may still be alive) had to move 
Tank mates, striped damsels, clowns, urchin...
Tank mates, striped damsels, clowns, urchin...
bigworm175
New member
Is my yellow tang going to kill my CBB? The tang is not very aggressive and he chases the CBB away for a split second and returns to his side of the tank. The CBB eats and swims around contently unless he infringes on the tang's space but I am concerned The CBB will get stressed. I know this is an individual fish issue but looking for odds.
My Yellow tang "bugged" the CBB for three days - after that, paid him no attention. The Sailfin, on the other hand, must mistake the CBB for another of its species and gives it a staredown and chase from time to time. No blood, no foul.
In my experience, if the CBB is eating well and not cowering at chow time, he will be okay. My CBB eats fearlessly in the shadow of a huge Vlamingi, so I'm not worried about him.
LL
bigworm175
New member
Cool. CBB doesn't eat a lot and hides at the beginning of the feeding frenzy but then comes out and eats a little brine or a stray black worm. I don't know if I would call it cowering? He's only 3 days with me (in DT) so far though and I think he is just getting comfortable. He ate like a pig at the LFS though.
I am not a good photographer so I apologize for the awful pic
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180+55reef
New member
I would say keeping a yellow tang with a CBB is likely to stress the CBB out so that he wont eat.............based in experience I wouldnt recommend it
bigworm175
New member
The Yellow tang is being pretty nice to the CBB and he eats black worms voraciously. So far so good but that doesn't mean much this early.
bamastunter
New member
ok my cbb is 3 days in the dt he was mugged for the first two by my yellow and redsea salfin tangs I've never seen them act so mean before but they have chilled out alot today now the cbb will swim around the tank but mainly swims in front of one of the returns he seems to like it there the real concern I have is eating he ate at the lfs and he swims right to the food then at the last second changes his mind but he does show alot of intrest in the food he just wont eat it I've offered mysis,brine,and even plankton all frozen how long before he starts to starve to death
