Well . . . mine loves clam on the half shell.
Copperband butterfly
- Thread starter Kies1
- Start date
Well . . . mine loves clam on the half shell.
Peter Eichler
New member
They all love worms, and IME anyone with a healthy bristle worm population can keep them long term whether they eat prepared foods or not. It has also been my experience that they will often eat PE mysis, even when they turn down all other frozen food sources.
Lastly, I have never encountered one that isn't reef safe beyond loving to eat worms of all types. So, calling them hit or miss as far as being reef safe is false from all I've seen from many may specimens. Unless you're a worm that is...
Bugboy9000
Member
Can you share your experiences? I'm a little perplexed at how an animal can survive, or stay healthy, solely on the microfauna provided in a confined environment. Sure a large refugium can be beneficial, providing some extra nutrients, and the extra worms/pods can definitely add some extra nutrition not found in commercial foods. But can bristleworms, tubeworms, pods, etc. really provide a complete diet, especially if they aren't given the chance to repopulate themselves enough? Even mandarins, who are IME considered the pod kings of home aquaria, seem to enjoy a mix of frozen and thrive from it, given they are willing to accept introduced food. I was calling them hit or miss concerning their willingness to convert to frozen/prepared foods. Mysis seems to be a big one for them, though I've had many individuals refuse everything I offer, and the ones that pick seem to just waste away. I'm sure they aren't coming from Australia considering I don't pay very much for them, maybe that's the cause. Not trying to pick a fight I swear haha, just curious on the subject.
I have never seen any of my 3 chelmon species eat a bristleworm. I guess YMMV.
Do a search on this forum, several people have had CBB eat various reef inhabitants. I can't recall who it was but a speaker at our reef club talked about a CBB that decided to eat their large clam. They had to eventually remove the clam from the display.
Trevenator
New member
I had a massive aiptasia infestation. Im talking 2000 plus of them.
Used 4 bottles of aiptasia x and every other thing people have tried to get rid of them. None of them worked well.
Traded for a copperband that was a known aiptasia eater.
He cleared both my tanks in 3 months. He would eat like 30 a day.
But he would not eat anything else. Previous 2 owner's said the same thing.
Once the aiptasia was getting low I started trying to get him to eat other things.
I read every post on the forums on what they will eat and tried them all. He would not eat any of it.
Finally I got him to eat frozen blood worms soaked in garlic. Then after a week of that I mixed in very thinly shaved frozen whole oyster and clams ( shaved in almost a worm shape) and he now likes them better than the blood worms.
But he will only eat if its soaked in garlic for like 10 min.
Its crazy I can add the same food with no garlic and he will not touch it.
Used 4 bottles of aiptasia x and every other thing people have tried to get rid of them. None of them worked well.
Traded for a copperband that was a known aiptasia eater.
He cleared both my tanks in 3 months. He would eat like 30 a day.
But he would not eat anything else. Previous 2 owner's said the same thing.
Once the aiptasia was getting low I started trying to get him to eat other things.
I read every post on the forums on what they will eat and tried them all. He would not eat any of it.
Finally I got him to eat frozen blood worms soaked in garlic. Then after a week of that I mixed in very thinly shaved frozen whole oyster and clams ( shaved in almost a worm shape) and he now likes them better than the blood worms.
But he will only eat if its soaked in garlic for like 10 min.
Its crazy I can add the same food with no garlic and he will not touch it.
thenewguy997
New member
Lol your cbb is spoiled! ^
I find that mine needs to eat more than once a day to avoid getting skinny. When he was growing, it was more like three times a day. He cleared the tank of aptasia, and small feather dusters and then started eating most frozen food. I never have been able to get him to eat flake or pellet. I've had him for a few years. I lost one before that - never could get him to eat any prepared foods.
Seababies
Member
My CBB is doing great too but only eats blackworms. I think she knows that there are blackworms coming and not take my mini mysis. I need to stop feeding worms. Occasionally I noticed that she would pace back and forth near the curved glass edges. Sometimes I wonder why? Maybe she needs a companion since CBB are grouping fish...?
thenewguy997
New member
Mine goes back and forth too. Garlic soaked mysis was the ticket
Seababies
Member
I also soaked mysis with garlic before feeding; she just refused them. Picky as usual..
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10years that is incredible. Nice to see and hear a bunch of success stories with this fish.
I can only hope all my fish stay with me for 10 years.
thenewguy997
New member
Did it grow bigger? Mines a lil guy about 4.5"
Also mine eats bristleworms i think bc he has white whiskers today which i assume are brisyles lol
Also mine eats bristleworms i think bc he has white whiskers today which i assume are brisyles lol
