copperband butterfly?

[adam1980]

Can I Keep two of these fish together? I have sometimes seen them in a lfs together and it almost looks like they have paired up. Thanks everyone

 

[twon8]

doubtful

 

[Blazer88]

I would guess your odds are less than favorable. Most people can't even keep one alive let alone find two that are paired up.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12856947#post12856947 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
I would guess your odds are less than favorable. Most people can't even keep one alive let alone find two that are paired up.

Agreed. Not normally kept in pairs and a difficult fish at that. Make sure if you find one that it is eating prepared foods. Many never eat in captivity

 

[jda]

They should get along. However, the long term sustainability would be the issue. It won't matter if they get along if neither of them live. I had one for about 15 months (just died) that never really ate any offered foods. It ate from the reef. It grew well, but eventually it must have eaten all of the food source, beacuse it got skinny and died after thriving for more than a year.

I would plan on them never being good eaters. Yours might eat well, and I hope that it does, but if you plan otherwise, then you will be able to care for it as long as possible.

 

[adam1980]

Wow I must be pretty lucky, The copperband I have has been chowing down mysis since the day i put him in about 2 years ago. I was asking about the pair for my boss. She decided to try just one. Thanks for the good advice guys. Wow mine acually even fights with my yellow tang over who gets the algea on the algea pin.

 

[snorvich]

I tend to agree with BTTRFLYGRL (are you SURE you are not Jeremy?) but there are, of course, exceptions. They are not necessarily reef safe, they often do not eat in captivity, and their value for aiptasia control is also problematical. But you can get lucky. If you really want to try, go for a Meullers butterfly which is more likely to survive.

 

[adam1980]

whos Jeremy?

 

[sugartooth]

There is one LFS that noted someone recommending multiples in tanks to get them eating prepared foods. However, I have never seen that in person.

Personally, I have 2 in separate tanks and for me the key to get them to eat prepared foods is to keep them in isolation first, then to the main tank. So far, they ate prepared within a couple of days this way. Both have also taken care of aiptasia.

Another factor is to carefully select which copperbands to purchase.