Serioussnaps
New member
Piscene Energetics Mysis shrimp was my secret....(its not really a secret)...very good stuff....just had to drop what worked for me
Copperbanded Butterfly Fish
- Thread starter joyski58
- Start date
old95er
Premium Member
Yeah, I figured that out. . .I used the flakes during vacation. I have left it on to feed the tank, as the rest of the fish seem to like it.
The Copperband does not seem to eat anything that I put in, but it seems healthy after a few weeks. . .. perhaps he is eating off the rocks and some of the critters from the sump.
The Copperband does not seem to eat anything that I put in, but it seems healthy after a few weeks. . .. perhaps he is eating off the rocks and some of the critters from the sump.
How do you guys get your copperbands to eat what you feed them. I read in this thread alot have success with black worms. I got a bag of live blackworms from LFS lastnight and tried to feed it. Wouldnt go for any. Still just picks food off the rocks. What are some tricks
Serioussnaps
New member
I tried many foods and methods. Then one day I put strictly PE mysis enriched in garlic in the tank....i flooded the tank with it. He kind of reacted then nibbled one. He proceeded to start nailing them. I never looked back and fed this to him for 3 years until a move. After the move he met his fate with a new tunze 6000...sad day. You have to look for that response....you will know it when you see it...then bombard them with food. If there are bullies or very aggressive eaters that get all the food you may have problems. There are many variables involved and other fish is a huge one...the CBB is very finicky and timid.
CMcNeil
New member
these are wonderfull fish if you get one that is healthy and eats.i waited for almost 2 months to get the one i have now.funny thing..at the store when i asked them to feed him,he kind of just hid and didnt eat.he had been QTed and treated at the LFS for 2 weeks,so i picked him up and added him to my display.after 2 hours i added some mysis to the tank and he gobbled them up.from day 1 he ate for me,i had a huge amount of small tube worms on the rocks.he wiped all of them out in a few weeks.i do see mine actively hunting pods at night and he picks from the rocks all day.i can almost hand feed mine and he seems to swim right up to my hand when it in the tank,i swear i could pet him lol.hasnt picked one any corals or my clams.
powdertang05
New member
ive had multple CBB most would eat the ap's but a few never did anything had alot better luck with 3 spots ive had 5 so far and they have always ate the ap's and then started working on my zoa's then i caught them and then got a new 3 spot to take care of the problem again.
Kiel'thalin
Member
Nice thread. I recently purchased a CBB a few days ago. I was having problems with mine eating from the water column, I shut off the powerheads and let the food settle to the bottom. He goes to town after a minute of adjusting to the poweheads being off. He eats Frozen Mysis Shrimp, Frozen Bloodworms, Frozen Spirulina Brine Shrimp. I think I might get the clam idea, will the prepacked frozen mussels do, or can I something from the local grocers seafood section, such as fresh scallops or squid?
Serioussnaps
New member
Mine was similar...couldnt catch the food in the column...let it sink to the bottom and he will pluck of the substrate. If he is eating the latter three i would avoid changing as you are good and getting fresh seafood is just another hassle. Just enrich the mysis etc...with selcon and some zoe a couple 2 or three times a week and you are good to go. These fish are very efficient live rock hunters as well.
bad badger 1
New member
Re: Copperbanded Butterfly Fish
having not read what others have rite i mite the way off the subject now but id just give he the most varied diet you can. also we have food made for angels and butterfly’s in the uk i guess you have in the US so try some of that.
Kiel'thalin
Member
Re: Re: Copperbanded Butterfly Fish
Re: Re: Copperbanded Butterfly Fish
Re: Re: Copperbanded Butterfly Fish
I found some of that at my LFS today, it is called San Francisco Bay Brand Angel & Butterfly. I put in a cube and he was eating it like crazy, better than the frozen bloodworms, mysis, and brine. Very surprised...
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bad badger 1
New member
that’s the one it has so much stuff in there i buy it for my angels for the variety of it and the sponge and algae in it. all my but fish love it. i am hoping to get a copperband my self!!! I have kept one successfully ones before but had a tank crash/disaster.
mojoreason
New member
did you say you had luck having him eat your aiptasia? i've never heard of anyone truly having luck or luck to the point that they need to find a new home for their copperbanded because they ran out of aiptasia for it to eat.
lucky you if it's true!
lucky you if it's true!
i just purchased a "large" mulleri from liveaquaria, it arrives tuesday. i'd love some acclimation advice, i've read this whole thread but want to make sure this one survives.
my last CBB came from our local big al's, he looked good and they said he was eating. i QT'ed him in a ten gallon setup, with water from the main display, daily 2-3 gallon changes, with an airstone to help make sure the water was well oxygenated. he did not want to eat my homemade food recipe, i was hoping he'd just come around but six days later he died with no signs of disease. i'm assuming it was from not eating, and want to make sure i feed this new one properly.
i can get frozen bloodworms conveniently from the local pet store, do you think those and fresh clams on the half shell would be sufficient? or should i do a real LFS pilgrimage and get some PE mysis or something live? my homemade recipe is shrimp and clams blended with nori, flake, selcon, cyclopeeze and gelatin, fed once a day. is this going to be good for him long term or should i alter my recipe/feeding habits?
i have a 37 gallon tank i was thinking of cleaning out and setting up as QT, maybe move over some rocks from the main display so it's got a good biological filter and something for him to pick at. would it be smarter to keep the new acquisition in the ten gallon barebottom to start, in case he needs copper (i have a fresh test kit ready for this)? i find it easier to keep copper properly dosed in a smaller medicine tank.
also, i have a bully hippo tang, i was considering moving him into the 37 gallon for a while after the CBB is done quarantine, to give the new guy time to adjust harassment free. capturing the hippo is probably going to involve removing every rock in the tank, so i don't want to do this unless it's necessary. if i re-introduce the hippo, is he going to be just as dominating? i really want the CBB, and am sure i can find a home for a 3 year old healthy hippo. is that going to be my best long term solution?
sorry about the length of this post, but i really want to be successful with this specimen and this thread has attracted a lot of folks who have been.
pete
my last CBB came from our local big al's, he looked good and they said he was eating. i QT'ed him in a ten gallon setup, with water from the main display, daily 2-3 gallon changes, with an airstone to help make sure the water was well oxygenated. he did not want to eat my homemade food recipe, i was hoping he'd just come around but six days later he died with no signs of disease. i'm assuming it was from not eating, and want to make sure i feed this new one properly.
i can get frozen bloodworms conveniently from the local pet store, do you think those and fresh clams on the half shell would be sufficient? or should i do a real LFS pilgrimage and get some PE mysis or something live? my homemade recipe is shrimp and clams blended with nori, flake, selcon, cyclopeeze and gelatin, fed once a day. is this going to be good for him long term or should i alter my recipe/feeding habits?
i have a 37 gallon tank i was thinking of cleaning out and setting up as QT, maybe move over some rocks from the main display so it's got a good biological filter and something for him to pick at. would it be smarter to keep the new acquisition in the ten gallon barebottom to start, in case he needs copper (i have a fresh test kit ready for this)? i find it easier to keep copper properly dosed in a smaller medicine tank.
also, i have a bully hippo tang, i was considering moving him into the 37 gallon for a while after the CBB is done quarantine, to give the new guy time to adjust harassment free. capturing the hippo is probably going to involve removing every rock in the tank, so i don't want to do this unless it's necessary. if i re-introduce the hippo, is he going to be just as dominating? i really want the CBB, and am sure i can find a home for a 3 year old healthy hippo. is that going to be my best long term solution?
sorry about the length of this post, but i really want to be successful with this specimen and this thread has attracted a lot of folks who have been.
pete
bad badger 1
New member
im not a fan of Q|T but in a 37 gallon with some live rock and a good sized pump he should be ok!!! how big is you main tank!!! i would be very careful with copper i wont us it now as i lost all my fish to a very small dose and tbh it never seems to do any fish much good if i did anything id drop the SG in the QT tank and feed garlic but only if he gets anything if not don’t keep he in there for more than you have to(no more than 3 weeks) but the les the better!! i think the best thing is to feed a very big verity which you seem to do!!! myas shrimp mite be good!!! live food can get a non feeder going!!
just got my mulleri, he's big... 4 1/2" maybe. liveaquaria did their usual great job with packaging, selection and husbandry, it's a beautiful specimen and in perfect condition.
he's in a 10 gallon with SG matched to what was in the shipping bag 1.020. i'll slowly bring it up to where i keep the display at .0265 with daily water changes. he's really big for the ten gallon, and kept attacking his reflection on the bottom until i covered the tank sides and basement window with newspaper. i tried feeding him my homemade recipe with a little garlic added (maybe 1/6 of a clove), but he doesn't seem interested. off to get some fresh clams and frozen bloodworms. big al's has live brine shrimp, so if these don't work, my wife will go get those tomorrow.
i'm going to hold off on copper until i see something, and will probably move him into a 37 gallon holding tank in a week if he shows no signs of trouble.
he's in a 10 gallon with SG matched to what was in the shipping bag 1.020. i'll slowly bring it up to where i keep the display at .0265 with daily water changes. he's really big for the ten gallon, and kept attacking his reflection on the bottom until i covered the tank sides and basement window with newspaper. i tried feeding him my homemade recipe with a little garlic added (maybe 1/6 of a clove), but he doesn't seem interested. off to get some fresh clams and frozen bloodworms. big al's has live brine shrimp, so if these don't work, my wife will go get those tomorrow.
i'm going to hold off on copper until i see something, and will probably move him into a 37 gallon holding tank in a week if he shows no signs of trouble.
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