Copperband Butterfly Primer

[rlpardue]

I removed the Powder blue tang from my DT because he harassed by CBB mercilessly. Now my two CBB can eat in piece. They are in a full reef so there are plenty of feather duster, they start to remove them.

Hey now, this little quote was a gem - could you confirm you have TWO CBB in the SAME TANK? I have read a great deal on the subject and can't find another example of someone succeeding with this. It's not that I don't believe you - I'm sure it's been done and can be done, but I want to know how and why.

I'm pretty sure PaulB has tried it or wanted to

Good to see another Houston-area reefer accomplishing things :bounce1:

 

[OrionN]

Remove the PB tang from my reef was a little late for one of the two CBB. The larger one died a few days later but the smaller one is thriving and is getting fat after just about 1 week. I will get another CBB to put into my reef later, in a few more weeks.

 

[Mike Ordner]

My first try on CCB. Received the fish last Friday via Bluezoo. Put him in a 40 breeder with macro algae that has pods in it. Got live blackworms in same day. First day would not eat anything, would not touch the blackworms. Second day me and the wife went to the beach with a shovel and went out in the surf and collected about dozen polychaetes. Also got 4 nice brittle stars that I put in my main tank, nice bonus. Put polychaetes in the tank and he sucked them down. Good sign. So later that day tried blackworms again. He went after them some, but not like the polychaetes. Next day tried blackworms again and he went after them better. So... what about frozen mysis I say. Put some in and he sucked them down. Next day more blackworms and try frozen brine. Ate it all. He is now actively searching the algae and tank bottome for food, so I am thinking I am on my way. Will keep feeding him in the 40 breeder and watch for any signs of trouble.

Question. Should I treat with prazi in a few more days? I know butterfly fish are known for flukes. Will this suppress his eating?

Thanks.

 

[OrionN]

My one CBB is doing great. He wipe out the aptasia in my tank. Eating well with the rest of the fish.
I will need to start to feed him steamer clams soon

 

[Washout]

I have finished cycling my 150g tang and purchased a CBB at the LFS that I have been watching for the last 3 weeks.

They are holding him for me for a couple days so I can verify the levels in my tank are good.

Yesterday I saw it happily eat brine. I know the move with likely stress him out, however he is going in a much larger tank with no other tank mates, and I wont be adding anymore until I can confirm I have him eating in my tank. I am going to buy a few different types of food, and I have a source for black worms if things go bad. Very excited to have my first fish in my tank!

 

[skiwez]

Skittish Behavior?

Skittish Behavior?

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone else has encountered similar behavior?

Bought a nice 4 inch Copperband 2 weeks ago, saw it was eating at the LFS so I brought it home. Has been eating PE mysis well, but only when lights in the tank are off. When I turn on the lights which is a single fluorescent strip light he hides in the corner of the tank. With the lights off it swims and explores the tank but as soon as the lights goes on it cowers? Not sure if there is anything I can do? He/she otherwise seems healthy no spots, no stringy poop, no flashing, no head shaking unless he's eating etc I want to put him in the main display but am afraid he will waste away in the corner.

DT is a 225 mixed reef with a yellow tang 3.5 inch, blue hippo 3 inch, a few flasher and fairy wrasses and a couple of Heniouchus Diphruetes

The tank is a 30 breeder use as a QT/observation tank with a piece of liverock a couple of blue damsels and some larger pieces of pvc piping.

Any suggestions? Should I just put him in display after observation period? I've even tried associating the lights on with food, but he shows absolutely no interest in food when the lights are on.

 

[Paul B]

I think he will get over it

 

[brett559]

Thought I would tag along on this thread. I bought a big CBB from my LFS about a week ago. I saw him eating brine aggressively at the store. The first day or two, he would eat a few frozen brine shrimp, but was shy - food would fall right on top of his head and he'd just sit there. The next 2 or 3 days, he was much more aggressive - actively seeking the brine shrimp and eating quite a bit. We use a turkey baster and spot feed such that food can definitely get near him. During this first 3-4 days, when he was eating the brine really well, we didn't notice him eating any aiptasia (that's why I got him).

The next day we saw him cruising around more, and he has definitely gone to work on the aiptasia (yay!). I have seen him eat little ones and work on big ones. I see him all day picking at things. I love this fish!

Now yesterday and this morning I noticed he's not taking the frozen food as well. He'll just sit back and watch it fall - eventually his tank mates will get it. He will go after a few pieces, but then spit out, take a bite, spit it out, and then finally keep some shrimp in his mouth. It's noticeably different than from last week, when he would attack the food. I've tried brine and PE Mysis - he takes to each about the same. He is eating some, but not as much.

My wife thinks it might be because he's eating more aiptasia, maybe he's just not as hungry. That makes sense to me. I'm just a little worried, because I know how hard it is to get these fish to eat, and it made me so happy seeing him go after the frozen food at the beginning. I'd hate to see him stop eating. It's almost like he wants to eat, but then changes his mind. (As opposed to my mandarin who doesn't even appear to be aware of any frozen food around him).

Is this a bad sign? Will a CBB that was eating frozen food suddenly stop? Will he go after the frozen again once he clears up all the aiptasia? There is a TON of CBB knowledge in this thread, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I'd love for this fish to make it because (a) he's a beautiful awesome fish and (b) I've always wanted a long-term natural solution to aiptasia.

Any thoughts?

 

[Kies1]

When I introduceD my Copper band it was the exact opposite. Wiped out all my feather dusters and aptasia within the first two weeks, then it seemed to take forever for him to eat anything else. He is now thriving and one of my most aggressive fish at feeding time.

I am thinking he is full on whatever he is eating right now. I would definitely keep an eye on him but hopefully when there is no other food source he will go back to accepting frozen.

 

[brett559]

Thanks!

 

[reefgeezer]

My Copperband was on the skinny side when I bought him & did the eat/spit thing with Brine Shrimp. He wouldn't touch clams or frozen Mysis either. I used a rocks from my fuge with Aiptasia on them and live Blackworms to fatten him up. He's the only fish in the DT right now and is definitely not bashful about begging to be fed. However, he still really only goes nuts for the Blackworms. He'll just picks at everything else.

 

[Kies1]

Mine only eats frozen mysis which I soak in vita chem. he is fairly thick and very very active. Love this fish

 

[brett559]

Sad night last night last. My CBB has been getting a little thinner over the last few weeks. With no aiptasia or feather dusters left, he was down to frozen mysis. He liked it, but just couldn't keep up with the tangs and wrasses. He'd be lucky to get one or two little mysis each feeding. I know that's not enough for a CBB.

My buddy on my street has a big 200g with a lot of live rock. You could call it a "dirty tank" with lots of rock and algae and pods. (I read that spotless tanks aren't good for CBBs). So in about 30 seconds (I literally put a big pitcher in the tank, squirted a little mysis with a baster in the pitcher, he swam right in, and I lifted the pitcher out) I had my CBB out of the tank and down to my buddy's house.

After acclimation he took to his new home. His new tank has fairly mellow tankmates and nobody bothered him. I was glad to see him with so much more room and he was already looking intently at the rocks. Hopefully he'll get nice and fat.

I know most people can't keep these fish for more than a year. I simply wanted to give him the best chance. I couldn't stand to watch him slowly starve. He just needs a home with some more rock to pick at. His new owner has been at this a long time, so fingers crossed he thrives.

He was my wife's favorite fish. And he slayed every single aiptasia in my tank - maybe 100. So I will always love that guy. Getting a CBB to eat frozen felt like a real accomplishment for a new reefer like myself. I miss the color he brought, his cool shape and his personality. He seemed like a smart fish. Never afraid of me, my kids, or even my hands in the tank. I could pet him.

These beauties are tough, but worth it.

 

[Paul B]

I am not sure why people have trouble with copperbands, I don't find them difficult at all as long as you feed them what they are supposed to eat. And they eat a lot. My copperband is my biggest eater by far.

 

[lespaul339]

I am not sure why people have trouble with copperbands, I don't find them difficult at all as long as you feed them what they are supposed to eat. And they eat a lot. My copperband is my biggest eater by far.

Same here. Mine eats like a pig. He won't touch mysis or brine, so I feed live black worms and he has no problem keeping up with the tangs at feeding time. I feed twice a day and my copper band is nice and fat.

 

[Mussin]

Where do you get black worms?

 

[lespaul339]

http://aquaticfoods.com/worms.html

they ship next day air.

I usually order a half pound or 3/4 pound, and they last in the fridge for a month or more if you rinse them out twice a day. keeping their water clean and fresh is key.

 

[mrcyrus]

I have one in a 120g and had 2 in a 240g before. Always with cleaner wrasse, one in the current tank and four in the 240g. This smaller 120g has macro in the tank so he is constantly sifting through it and pecking for bugs (and snails). If I have more than 5 large fish in any tank my rule is always and will always be at least one cleaner wrasse. They are much better than cleaner shrimp as they will go find the fish instead of cleaners that are parked. And for those that say cleaners will die without parasites to eat, I've never had one that doesnt eat frozen brine.

 

[OrionN]

Here is mine today. Eating clams well. Wipe all the aptasia and medusa worms from my tank.

 

[cFloor]

OrionN- beautiful pic! Looks very healthy