New copperband butterfly

[LittleBee]

Hey guys. I just got my copperband about 2 days ago. He seems to be very active and hunting around the live rock all day. Questions though. I know this is a sensitive fish and can be difficult to get eating. Is it normal for the CBB to only hunt for things to eat in the live rock for the first few days? I have fed PE mysis, cyclopeeze, I also have formula 1 and 2 but the fish don't seem to like it. I bought some live blackworms tonight and the copperband might have eaten one.. Kinda disappointed about that. What other foods should I tru for him? or should I wait a couple days and see if he starts to eat the blackworms? Since it has only been a couple days do you think he is just getting accustomed to the tank? Here's a couple pics and videos.

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums...1E-9E8E-AB81D757B3DD-190-00000005E66E520B.mp4

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums...D0-8E86-D544440D0D39-190-000000062060CD3D.mp4

 

[E_rock]

wow great looking fish

 

[LittleBee]

Thanks Eric. It indeed is beautiful I am hoping to have success with him and I know in the beginning getting them to eat is the first hurtle. I've been researching tons about feeding him but I always like to get other people expirience on what they have done to entice them to eat prepared foods.

 

[Ucyibd1]

I used fresh clams when I first got mine. I would open one up and rubber band it to a piece of live rock and put it in my tank and he would go pick at it and eat it. I did this with the first 5 or so clams. With the next few clams I started taking half the clam meat out and replacing it with a cube of brine shrimp. I did that for the next 3 or so clams until finally all that would be in the clam shell was brine shrimp. Once it got used to the brine shrimp it started eating it out of the water column....alot of work to get it to eat prepared food but well worth it. One of my favorite fish I have. Good luck and hope that helps.

 

[LittleBee]

Thanks for the good info. When you put the frozen brine in the shell, Wouldn't the brine float away? Or did it stay frozen in a cube long enough for the fish to eat it?

 

[Ucyibd1]

Thanks for the good info. When you put the frozen brine in the shell, Wouldn't the brine float away? Or did it stay frozen in a cube long enough for the fish to eat it?

Yep it would stay frozen long enough.....when I got to the clams I would put brine in, I would only put a smaller piece of the cube in there.

 

[Ucyibd1]

The hardest pat of the whole process was getting those darn clams open.....Still have 10 fingers, but there were a couple close calls. So be careful!

 

[LittleBee]

Lol I will have my husband open them should I get any certain type of clam? I've never gone clam shopping at the grocery store before lol. Is there many types to choose from? Should I buy them fresh or frozen?

 

[Ucyibd1]

Fresh.....cherrystone or littleneck clams are what I used.

 

[LittleBee]

Okay. Sounds good. Thanks for all the good info!

Anyone else have other experiences, post away!

 

[sandworm]

I've had my CBB for about a year now. He still to this day eats only clams, never eats anything from the water column, I buy a 50 count bag of cheap clams, wash them good then freeze them.I drop one in every couple days still frozen, they slowly open, he eats what he wants, then the rest of my fish pig out.I've never had him pick at any corals, and the best part is i havn't seen an aptasia in about a year.

 

[terry4505]

I lucked out. I have had my CBB for almost 3 years and it will eat almost anything I put in the tank. I've yet to get it to eat NLS pellets, but everything else from mysis to chunks of krill etc.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

hit the link below!

hit the link below!


Copperband Butterflyfish Primer

Lots of Chelmon rostratus experience here.
If your fish is constantly poking around rocks and corals (hunting for food) it's a good sign.

I don't mess with opening clams or bags of brineshrimp or anything like that.
My CBB loves most meaty commercially prepared frozen fish foods and will get right into the mix of bullies to grab it's share of food.

Knowing what fishes are in this particular aquarium I would suggest trying Pro Salt "Marine Supreme". One 1" x 1" cube at feeding time and see what happens.

 

[Zombiecowmeat]

Yea I also use clams. One way I found to easily open clams ( and I dont know if this is good/bad) was to buy a few little clams and freeze them overnight and then plop one in and it would open up on its own. He will eat brine and mysis if it is in the shell but mine will be hungry all day long. I have to keep a clam in there as often as possible which makes my tank maintenance that much more often. So if there is no clam in there to eat he will pick at my snails....he's gone through about 100$ of snails so far haha and he's also wiped out my bristleworms/pods in my rocks. Still my favorite fish though, even if he's a picky s.o.b.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Ime

Ime

if a fish is fed clams and/or snails it will go after them in an aquarium.

I've never had a problem keeping Tridacna/snails etc. with CBB

*another one of my low budget films*

note what happens to the cube of PE Mysis once Junior sees it!

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid7.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy270%2Fgary334%2FMVI_3906.mp4">

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

gary you have some really nice looking fish. little bee how is the cbb i want one so bad but am afraid of losing it

 

[Zombiecowmeat]

Well mine doesnt "eat" the snails.....he just picks at them til they check in to the big snail ocean in the sky. I hope someday mine decides he will eat out of the water column haha So far he is like a little kid with vegetables

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Tearing at flesh with a beak pretty much equals eating

 

[LittleBee]

Thanks guys for the input. I have been reading that primer also Gary but doesn't hurt to get your guys input as well. I woke up earlier in the morning and saw the CBB at the top of the water. Almost as if he was resting, I was a bit worried, you never want to see a fish at the top of the water. Now he is at the bottom of the tank just chilling in the front corner. Not on the sand but right above it. He is staying stationary and it doesn't look like he is having a hard time breathing or anything. This is a bit discouraging though bc he picked at the rocks all day the first two days and now nothing. He won't show any interest in the live black works. Gary where can I get his marine supreme food? Is it local to me? I did want to get a clam in the future so maybe feeding him clam isn't a good idea.. I hope he starts hunting around again. There is plenty of aiptasia for him to eat. Ill take a short video so you can see how he is acting.

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums...A3-BD87-2FD73516F615-514-0000010320707C43.mp4

 

[Foody]

That's a gorgeous fish. I'm jealous! ROD's makes a frozen food variety that is nothing more than roe (fish eggs). I understand that most fish find them irresistable.