Copperband Butterfly

[t5Nitro]

Hello, just to mention quick that the frag swap was real cool! I didn't get a chance to go on any aquaculture tours or any other tour, but the trader variety in coral was really fun!

Curious to know if you guys will get any small copperband butterflyfish in anytime soon? I wanted the one in the Rhinelander retail store since it was already in with corals and was about 2", but they wouldn't sell it :lol: I need one that won't go feast on corals, but eat aiptasia. Joe's juice, kalk paste, and peppermint shrimp do not work.

 

[dfs/la2]

t5nitro,

We are happy to hear you had a good time at our 3rd Annual Coral Conference and Frag Swap. We hope to see you at next year’s conference so you may be able to attend some of the educational tours we offer.

At this time we do not have the small Copperband Butterflies for purchase, though you are able to sign up for the “Email Me” alert for this item. Once this specimen is in stock and ready to ship an email will be automatically generated to notify you of the availability.

You will want to use caution if you plan on housing the Butterfly fish in a reef aquarium. This fish may pick on invertebrates in the aquarium, especially anemones and feather dusters. Although they are known to consume aiptasia in the home aquarium, if other food sources are present they may choose to eat the foods that are more easily accessible.

Joyce F.
Drs. Foster & Smith
LiveAquaria

 

[t5Nitro]

That's why I want one, to eat the aiptasia. If it eats feather dusters with it, oh well. I can't win vs the aiptasia. Will aiptasia hurt clams? I have a crocea on a rock surrounded by aiptasia.

 

[dfs/la2]

t5nitro,

Aiptasia will sting sessile invertebrates; therefore it will sting the fleshy part of the clam if it is near the aiptasia.

We recommend either moving the clam to another part of the aquarium with less aiptasia in the area or you may want to try using one of the aiptasia controlling products here:

Aiptasia Control

Joyce F.
Drs. Foster & Smith
LiveAquaria

 

[t5Nitro]

It is a crocea that is attached to the rock. How do you go about getting it off without ripping the foot off of it? I did that once before when I first got it on accident. It did grow back, but I don't want to do it again just to get it off the rock.

 

[dfs/la2]

t5Nitro,

We would suggest removing the rock and chiseling the aiptasia off the surface of the rock. This way the clam is not being moved or harmed in any way.

Chris C.
Live Aquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[pufferchris]

no matter what you have heard copperbands are not guarenteed to eat aiptasia. i have one and he doesnt even look at the aiptasia.if you want a aiptasia eater get a berghia nudibranch. it will die without aiptasia to eat

 

[t5Nitro]

I noticed you have got the small CBB in now. You make sure all of your fish are eating before shipped, correct? I know they can be finicky and hard to get to eat. How do you think one of these CBB (1-2" ones) would do with a "use to be agressive" yellow tang until I put in the 4" powder brown tang. He doesn't bother the yellow much, if he does, they both flare and then they back off. The powder brown will at times be agressive to the 6" magnificent foxface though. I'm not sure what he does, maybe bite, because they get close and they both flare up and the foxface takes off, but the powder brown never tail slaps. So, I have a really peaceful foxface, but the yellow tang use to be agressive and he may be to new fish I'm guessing. The powder brown I know can be agressive. I'm not sure, would a small CBB be a good choice to put in there for aiptasia control? I was thinking of the small one because then the tangs wouldn't be noticing another large fish in there, but maybe they would be agressive to any new fish? I thought about the berghia nudibranches, but a person near me tried them I guess and they get sucked up powerheads easily he said.

 

[dfs/la2]

t5Nitro,

Thank you for researching these specimens before adding them to your home aquarium.

We recommend using caution when adding the Copperband Butterflyfish to your aquarium housing Tangs. The Tangs in your aquarium may bully the Copperband Butterflyfish due to the body shape and should be placed in a peaceful community tank. It should be kept singly, not with conspecifics or similar Butterflyfish, and would not do well kept with any stress-inducing fish.

Adding the Berghia nudibranchs to your aquarium would be an excellent option. Powerheads can be covered using netting or a filter sponge in order to keep the nudibranchs from entering the powerhead and being damaged.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions please feel free to contact us.

Joyce F.
LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster & Smith

 

[pammy]

Would you think a Coral Band Butterfly would be ok in a 53g tank? According to your site, they need 50g or larger, but if a CBB gets up to 8", doesn't that seem big for a 50g or do they rarely get up to 8"? (my tank is 31.5" x 19.5" x 19.5". I have only really peaceful fish. A small Pygmy Possum Wrasse, Tailspot Blenny and Purple Firefish. I'll be adding a pair of Ocellaris, and am looking for one last cool looking fish. Thanks! Pam

 

[bixbe]

I've had great luck with Joes' Juice

 

[etrigo29]

I have one in my 58 and so far he seems rather happy, sorry to hijack thread but what do you guys all suggest to feed them? He's so far turned down mysis shrimp and seems to like brine a bit but I didn't know if there was anything else.

Thanks!

 

[dfs/la2]

Pammy,

Thank you for your post and great question. The addition of the Butterflyfish to your existing aquarium should be cautioned with your current fish load. Butterflyfish may nip at the corals you have listed. It would be our recommendation to upgrade to a larger aquarium if you choose to add more fish. We would not want to see you run into difficulties and become overstocked.

If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-334-3966.

Thanks.

Michelle H.
LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[dfs/la2]

etrigo29,

We are always happy to hear how other aquarists are maintaining their fish and how these specimens are doing.

You may want to try feeding a product such as San Francisco Bay Brand Angel & Butterfly Diet . This complete diet contains Mysis shrimp, pieces of sponge, krill, mussel, squid, brine shrimp, and spinach to help the fish to thrive in your aquarium.

Joyce F.
LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster & Smith

 

[t5Nitro]

I picked up the 3" CBB in the Rhinelander retail store. Luckily the two tangs seem OK with it lol. Lights are still out since acclimation yesterday with a bit of sunlight today. I noticed him picking on the rocks, hopefully he is eating aiptasia. These things are very fast too!