Putting on weight?

[maxima k2]

I have had a Copper banded butterfly for a couple of months now and cant get it to fatten up. I have tried: Brine, Spirulina enriched Brine, mysis( eats very little of), blood worms (eats a few), fresh clam opened just enough to get his beak into( Didnt touch). He eats brine like crazy but it is not an acceptable diet. He does pick at the rocks and is first one in line at feeding time. He has fought off a battle with some sort of fin fungus when he was first introduced. I didnt Qt him due to the fact that I had nothing else in the tank. So the fungus is gone,w/o meds. Now he needs to gain weight. I am looking for something to soak the food in or another food. Selcon is not available locally, I have tried. Any other suggestions?

 

[ACBlinky]

I asked the same question after I bought my flagfin angel. He was skinny and desperately needed to put some weight on, but like your butterfly the only thing he'd really chow down on was brine. I found that offering a variety of foods (often followed by brine as a filler), making sure the frozen foods were freshly purchased, adding garlic or Entice, and feeding as frequently as possible all helped to increase his weight over time.
How many times a day are you offering food? Any way you could increase the number of meals he gets? If he's eating some mysis at each meal and then losing interest, try starting with mysis, then when he stops taking them stuff him with the enriched brine shrimp until he stops eating. It may not be the most nutritious food, but calories are calories and every bit counts.

 

[cephlopus]

This may seem a little out Of the blue but when i kept octo's if they weren't eating I would soak there food in garlic Juice strait out of the super market the only issue is it can foul a tank if used to often there is a product that is reef tank safe but I haven't used it in a long time so I don't remember the name of it My lfs carried and it got my octo and my pakistani butterfly eating regularly in less than three days(2.5 days) I hope that helps and best of luck he sounds like a tough guy to begin with.
Josh

 

[jda]

Get used to a skinny copperband. If it won't eat mysis, then the only real nutirtios food that it will get will be pods, worms and other stuff in your tank.

If you are lucky, you can keep him alive long enough that he starts to destroy mysis and may eventually take to flake food. Most of them never make it this far though.

I would quit the brine and go with mysis exclusively. There is no need for him to feel full (of junk food) and not eat the mysis. Try feeding him a few mysis as many times per day as possible. You can keep some thawed mysis in a cup of tankwater for several hours until it really starts to stink.

 

[maxima k2]

I am really unable to feed more than 2X a day. I feed at 5pm am again at 10pm before the lights go out. I would feed in the morning if I didnt get up at 4:30. I will start putting more mysis in and giving less choices. I have tried the garlc in the past maybe I should start again. How long have you guys had your copper band? I am at 4 months.