coraljunky
Active Member
My brother would like to add one to his 180, but it's a mixed reef tank. Does anyone have any experience with or know of its appetite for coral?? Will it eat aptasia???? Thanks in advance
Copper banded butterfly????
- Thread starter coraljunky
- Start date
groupergenius
Active Member
I got one for my SPS-90 tank. It lasted 2.5 weeks before dying.
He ate at first, but the more aggressive eaters would scare it off at feeding time. Eventually it wouldn't even come out to eat.
I think it would do fine in a larger tank with mellow tankmates.
I think it would do fine in a larger tank with mellow tankmates.
waterlogged
Member
I have mine with mellow tankmates and he's my favorite. I do feed slowly because it takes him awhile to swallow each piece of mysis shrimp.
nina&noah
Member
I had one for about 4 weeks until he died.
I loved him. He didn't bother my coral, but he didn't eat the aiptasia either. I would drop a clam in the tank (as per the recommendation of the people on this board) and he would go to town on it. It was fun watching him eat. After three weeks he got ick (I didn't qt, I didn't know about qt)
and he died. I want another one, but I am waiting to see if the ick will show up on my other fish. So far so good.
nybyrne
Member
Have had mine for about two months now and he is doing fine. I have hammers, frogspawn and torchs and he does not nip at any of them. I make my own food and he eats it like all the other fish. Only problem I had was it would hunt down and attack my clown fish to the point I put the clown in my fuge. Great fish otherwise
R
rcreations
Guest
I believe they will nip at any clams you may have in the tank. Which is why I can't get one, I have a Derasa and Crocea. Neither would be safe.
trigger11
Member
I would also add they are known to eat feather dusters. I had one once and he wasnt in the tank more than 5 minutes and he ate every small feather duster I had. He also tried to eat some snails once too when I put them in. He was eating out of my hand at that point so I guess he thought they were dinner.
Another point that is important and has not been mentioned here is that copperbands require excellent water quality.
Another point that is important and has not been mentioned here is that copperbands require excellent water quality.
i love fish
Member
How did you get him to eat, and what is he eating coz i had 1 for 3 weeks and just like everyone else, it would only eat off the rocks, not show any interest in flakes and any other kind of fish food. I want to get another one but don't want to loose it.
i love fish
Member
I've read that you can tie a small brine shrimp (live/dead) on a thread and dangle it infront of the butterfly fish as to lure it to the shrimp, and it will eventually eat it, then from there you can slowly try other foods.
I haven't actually tried it coz I read this after my copperbanded butterfly died of starvation (which took about 3 weeks), so I dunno if it will actually work or not.
I haven't actually tried it coz I read this after my copperbanded butterfly died of starvation (which took about 3 weeks), so I dunno if it will actually work or not.
i love fish
Member
What's aptasia?
kmarks
New Member
Ok Everyone, here is a sure fire way to feed your copperband. Firstly they are not like yellow longnose butterflys that will eat anything, CB's main diet is clam and small shrimps. So go to your local grocer and buy some live cherrystone clams and some shimp. I also add some squid and fish to the diet. Chop up each item and place in a zip lock bag and place in freezer. Next day and there after, shave off pieces and allow to defrost in a cup of water. Water can be fresh. From ontop of tank slowly add shaved food into tank, slowly the copperband will eat, and after time it will push other tank mates out of the way for its meal.
My CB has grown and is thriving. I have had it for over 1.5 years.
Good luck.
Kevin
From Scottsdale
My CB has grown and is thriving. I have had it for over 1.5 years.
Good luck.
Kevin
From Scottsdale
matt b
Active Member
Originally Posted by coraljunky
http:///forum/post/2505899
My brother would like to add one to his 180, but it's a mixed reef tank. Does anyone have any experience with or know of its appetite for coral?? Will it eat aptasia???? Thanks in advance
I have had mine in my mixed reef( ALOT of SPS clam and softies and LPS) for over a month and he has never touched anything. He dose not eat aptasia.
http:///forum/post/2505899
My brother would like to add one to his 180, but it's a mixed reef tank. Does anyone have any experience with or know of its appetite for coral?? Will it eat aptasia???? Thanks in advance
I have had mine in my mixed reef( ALOT of SPS clam and softies and LPS) for over a month and he has never touched anything. He dose not eat aptasia.
spiderwoman
Active Member
Butterfly's are not beginner fish and are very finiky eaters. They also don't acclimate well. I wanted one and was adviced against it wiht wiser reefers in our club.