Copperband Butterfly Primer

They pretty much die within ten seconds of hitting the water, so the cone method won't work. I suck some up in a turkey baster and dump them into the water. They are usually all consumed before the sink halfway down the tank.


Paul B, How long will black worms survive in salt water before dying? I want to put them in a plasticc cone feeder and leave them there.

Marty
 
I have one on hold now. Anyone know if they are bta eaters? Looking at live aquaria they mention that. Hopefully if this one eats prepared food I'll bring him home tomorrow and into QT.
 
Well it is home acclimating. Ate mysis and blood worms in front of me. Bought blood worms and have mysis and brine already. I'll get a pic up when he is out roaming about the QT. I will treat with paraguard for seven days, then as long as all is well move him to DT.
Still wondering about the bta though.
 
Thats great. Mine is still in quarantine . But it took two days before he started eating. To my knowledge, the Copperband does not eat Bubble Tip anemones

Marty



Well it is home acclimating. Ate mysis and blood worms in front of me. Bought blood worms and have mysis and brine already. I'll get a pic up when he is out roaming about the QT. I will treat with paraguard for seven days, then as long as all is well move him to DT.
Still wondering about the bta though.
 
Well fed tonight, but I didn't see him eat anything. Hope this isn't a bad sign. Try again tomorrow.
 
Sorry, here is my CBB pic
<a href="http://s496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/?action=view&current=IMG_20101010_180859.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/IMG_20101010_180859.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
After following the post, i know CBB need worms. But i couldnt get any blackworms in my country, only live/frozen bloodworm which isnt real worm. Here is what i have in mind. Will a CBB eat a live green rag worm that i can buy from a tackle shop? they are quite big in size (as shown in picture), should i chopped them in pieces?

worm2.jpg
 
thanks paul. Do I have to worry intro parasite with those worms into the tank?

I will do a little more research before getting one
 
I was just at a new LFS that feeds its CBB's "red wigglers". Find them at your local bait shop. I haven't tried them yet, but I will.
 
My CBB started nipping on my large maxima clams last week. After starting to nip will they ever stop? I would really hate to remove the butterfly because she is my favorite fish, but I think I might have to.
 
Thanks to everyone on this thread, my new CBB is loving the live black worms. Can only get him to barely pick at mysis so far. But he is active and seems to be adjusting well.

Do the yellow/orange stripes on CBB get lighter as fish matures/ages? The larger ones I have seen in the LFS seem to be more yellow/lighter and the smaller ones seem the have the much bolder orange/copper bands. Is this more likely related to age or diet?
 
i need some advice

i added a copperband butterfly fish to my tank about 2-3 weeks ago and since i purchased the fish at my lfs it has not eaten anything. all it does it picks at the live rock all day. when i put food in the tank it jsut swims right by the food. i have tried feeding a variety of frozen food, clam on half shell, nori, seaweed and nothing. i even soak the food in garlic extrem and nothing. i know i should try feeding it live black worms but right now i do not have a car to get it locally. is there a place that sells them online

what is a surprise to me is how can the copperband still be alive if it hasn't eaten anything in 2-3 weeks. wouldn't the fish be dead from starvation? can he be surviving off of copepods from the live rocks
 
i know i should try feeding it live black worms but right now i do not have a car to get it locally. is there a place that sells them online
Yes that is what they are supposed to eat. It is not his fault if you can't find food he recognizes. Most fish can go a few weeks with out eating, but not forever.
If you can find some gel food and squeeze it through a garlic press so it comes out looking like worms he may eat that. They are visual feeders and the thing needs to look like what it is used to eating.
 
Just a quick thanks to Paul. My CB refused to eat for a couple of days. I started feeding him live black worms and he devoured them. Now he eats the black worms, mysis and NLS pellets.
 
I buy blackworms online from Aquatic Foods, blkworms@aol.com. They do a great job of FedEx overnight shipping even to rural Montana addresses. I get them in good shape the next day. The worms keep a long time if you clean the water daily and I keep mine in a small tank in a fridge. I used to buy worms from a LFS but it was 70 miles away, I'd get three portions but it was a pain. Now it's easy and all my fish love them.
 
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