Copperband Butterfly

[Raghav2384]

Greetings Reefers!

Few words about Buzz, my copper band butterfly fish. When I first introduced him to my tank, he behaved just as any other fish would do....shy, hiding from humans, did not eat for 48 hours (which is normal). I wanted him to eat so I dropped variety of foods (frozen mysis, frozen brine, pellets, chopped silver sides etc) Note....since I was feeding aggressively in hope of getting him started, I was doing frequent water changes and skimmed the food out of water ... He started to swallow then spit it out (which is normal due to their tiny mouths). He started to eat but not as much as my clowns and YT....that's when I got him on to drugs (yup you heard it right) called black worms. I now have Tyrone Biggums in my tank lol..the moment he sees me or my family pass by, he starts to shake and follow you in the same direction. He wiped fan worms and aiptasia in first week....Tried to nib at RBTA but failed as the Notorious maroon clown was hosting it. I am certain that I am lucky in his case. Please share your stories about these amazing fish!

Cheers,
Raghav

 

[4FordFamily]

Greetings Reefers!

Few words about Buzz, my copper band butterfly fish. When I first introduced him to my tank, he behaved just as any other fish would do....shy, hiding from humans, did not eat for 48 hours (which is normal). I wanted him to eat so I dropped variety of foods (frozen mysis, frozen brine, pellets, chopped silver sides etc) Note....since I was feeding aggressively in hope of getting him started, I was doing frequent water changes and skimmed the food out of water ... He started to swallow then spit it out (which is normal due to their tiny mouths). He started to eat but not as much as my clowns and YT....that's when I got him on to drugs (yup you heard it right) called black worms. I now have Tyrone Biggums in my tank lol..the moment he sees me or my family pass by, he starts to shake and follow you in the same direction. He wiped fan worms and aiptasia in first week....Tried to nib at RBTA but failed as the Notorious maroon clown was hosting it. I am certain that I am lucky in his case. Please share your stories about these amazing fish!

Cheers,
Raghav

Yup live blackworms turn most healthy fish in to an addict! Glad you've had success!

 

[popsgym]

Raghav , I was always told to shy away from copperbands due to high fatality rate and shaky with reef tanks. Could you fill me in on what size tank , his temperament and reaction from other tank mates . Thx

 

[Raghav2384]

Raghav , I was always told to shy away from copperbands due to high fatality rate and shaky with reef tanks. Could you fill me in on what size tank , his temperament and reaction from other tank mates . Thx

Very good question..speaking about Tank mates first, if you have a grown up/medium size yellow Tang, he will be on a mission to kill period.

I have a 65 gallon shallow reef which is ok for him to go for straight swims (min 75 gallon is recommended). If you plan to keep Tangs and CBB, I would say 150 gallons min.

I got CBB for free as LFS was tired and couldn't get it to eat...not that I am an expert but I guess they won't pay as much attention as us hobbyists do (business and hobby are two separate things )

I got him in my DT and got him to eat in 2 days....I personally feel that acclimation plays a key role...I acclimated him for 3 hours, same temperature....same water metrics etc.

I intentionally didn't give him food but showed him how my other fish would react etc luckily, I don't have aggressive feeders in my tank...so he learned quickly how to react.

Before I got him in my tank, I made sure I have live black worms. Note, he didn't eat even black worms on the day I added him to my tank. Atleast not while I was watching. On end of day 2 or early Day 3, I chopped freshwater clam in to tiny pieces and put on a rock with rubberband....saw him take a bite but my crabs and serpent star finished it in few mins. I hung a piece of frozen Krill and mysis mix and saw him go at it...then came the drug aka black worms and he eats atleast 25/30 worms a day. Please note he eats everything now.

I wouldn't say CBBs are difficult as long as he is healthy and eating occasionally to the least.

I have a mixed reef. I knew he would eat dusters,fan worms so they were all gone....i saw my friends copperband destroy bubble tip anemone...Mine tried to taste but my Maroon clown scared him. Fish will have the territories no matter their size...My clowns made it clear that every part of tank is CBBs except anemone.

Now Tangs, they will kill CBB if it's a small tank....thats how my friend lost his.

Please feel free to ask questions.

Thanks,
Raghav

 

[Raghav2384]

Yup live blackworms turn most healthy fish in to an addict! Glad you've had success!

You sir are absolutely right.....I have never seen my fish beg for food this bad

 

[Jack Eskay]

Very good question..speaking about Tank mates first, if you have a grown up/medium size yellow Tang, he will be on a mission to kill period.

I have a 65 gallon shallow reef which is ok for him to go for straight swims (min 75 gallon is recommended). If you plan to keep Tangs and CBB, I would say 150 gallons min.

I got CBB for free as LFS was tired and couldn't get it to eat...not that I am an expert but I guess they won't pay as much attention as us hobbyists do (business and hobby are two separate things )

I got him in my DT and got him to eat in 2 days....I personally feel that acclimation plays a key role...I acclimated him for 3 hours, same temperature....same water metrics etc.

I intentionally didn't give him food but showed him how my other fish would react etc luckily, I don't have aggressive feeders in my tank...so he learned quickly how to react.

Before I got him in my tank, I made sure I have live black worms. Note, he didn't eat even black worms on the day I added him to my tank. Atleast not while I was watching. On end of day 2 or early Day 3, I chopped freshwater clam in to tiny pieces and put on a rock with rubberband....saw him take a bite but my crabs and serpent star finished it in few mins. I hung a piece of frozen Krill and mysis mix and saw him go at it...then came the drug aka black worms and he eats atleast 25/30 worms a day. Please note he eats everything now.

I wouldn't say CBBs are difficult as long as he is healthy and eating occasionally to the least.

I have a mixed reef. I knew he would eat dusters,fan worms so they were all gone....i saw my friends copperband destroy bubble tip anemone...Mine tried to taste but my Maroon clown scared him. Fish will have the territories no matter their size...My clowns made it clear that every part of tank is CBBs except anemone.

Now Tangs, they will kill CBB if it's a small tank....thats how my friend lost his.

Please feel free to ask questions.

Thanks,
Raghav

I have a chevron tang and a CBB ive had the CBB for about a week and chevron for about 4 months. At first the chevron like most tang bullied the crap out of the CBB but now they are swimming in peace besides the occasional nip when the the CBB gets to close to the tang. Other than that I haven't seen a problem. But that's just my case, I assume as they get bigger I may have to rehome one as my tank is only a 70 gallon. But for now all is good! But I agree that you shouldn't have the two together, I just got lucky!

 

[saltyhog]

I had a smaller Atlantic Blue Tank with my CBB. Never had any aggression at all. (tank size 72x24). My only nemes are rock flowers but he hasn't even glanced at them and they were added after him. I hate I can't have my Coco worms but I'd rather have my CBB than them.

 

[Raghav2384]

I have a chevron tang and a CBB ive had the CBB for about a week and chevron for about 4 months. At first the chevron like most tang bullied the crap out of the CBB but now they are swimming in peace besides the occasional nip when the the CBB gets to close to the tang. Other than that I haven't seen a problem. But that's just my case, I assume as they get bigger I may have to rehome one as my tank is only a 70 gallon. But for now all is good! But I agree that you shouldn't have the two together, I just got lucky!

I see why the rivalry between yellow Tangs and CBBs ....they kinda look similar shape wise don't they?..Only difference is YTs are hardy and can easily knock down a CBB....I had a ****** YT when I had my 120G....He harassed every fish. My solution was adding a Trigger to the tank....Trigger bit him back and my YT turned in to a saint after that..

 

[akarusso]

Will they eat aptasia

 

[Raghav2384]

Will they eat aptasia

Hit or miss....Mine ate all within the first week. I have also seen my friend's CBB eat all the aiptasia and fanworms in couple of days.

Catch is, it should eat if at all it does with in the first couple of days to a week max...once it likes the food you feed, might not even look at aiptasia.

Also note, if you have snails that you love, he will eat their antennas (can't recollect the term but you what I mean).

Thanks,
Raghav

 

[Lenny_S]

I've had my CBB for about 6 months now, he/she has gained weight and grown. I actually don't do much special feeding wise, I drop the food in once a day, in the morning. I have 22 total fish in my 160G, along with the CBB are 4 clowns and 3 tangs... it's all pretty harmonious. All I feed is 3 cubes Hikari Mysis, and a big pinch of Formula 2 flake with a few drops of Selcon added. Pictures and sock list are in my build thread in my signature.
The only thing is every once in a while the CBB will take a nip at one of my Acans. The CBB never does any real damage, they close for an hour or so and then open back up. And I've never seen the CBB sleep. All my other fish sleep when the lights go out except the CBB and the spotbreast angel.

 

[Jack Eskay]

So after the joyful two days of my CB successfully eating and cruising the tank happy he is now not eating and breathing fast. I'm not sure what's wrong and hope someone can help. Also would like to add he has lymph, it's not bad yet and I was hoping if he would start eating that it would go away. Thanks in advance to all the can help me out!!

 

[Raghav2384]

Can you post a pic if possible? Have you tried changing the diet?

 

[Jack Eskay]

Can you post a pic if possible? Have you tried changing the diet?

Yea I'll send it this evening, I'm in school right now. But I've tried most everything but black worms. I plan to buy some this weekend and try with those but he's been eating mysis, a blend of fresh shrimp, scallop, and squid, and opened fresh clams. I've seen him eat all of this in the last 3 days and he's all of a sudden just stopped and just doesn't look very happy. He also usually cruises the tank looking for food but seemingly stopped.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I had a wonderful CBB for 1.5yrs before it began eating my lps. I gave him to another reef keeper. Since then, horrible luck. Only one of three making through qt (I design for CBBs specifically with rock and aiptasia and such). Now the one that made it out into my main tank, was killed by my Yellow Tang within 2 weeks. So, done with those guys. My YT is a real piece of work. This is in a 210g.

 

[Lenny_S]

Mine FWIW

 

[Raghav2384]

Sweet! Here's mine

 

[Jack Eskay]

@Raghav2384 sorry for taking so long I totally forgot, my apologies.

 

[Jack Eskay]

This is from a few days ago but he also has a bit of lymph. I'll send you a picture Sunday as I'm out of town this weekend.

 

[Raghav2384]

@Jack , did you try the black worms yet? If he doesn't eat black worms...I am afraid he will eat anything at all. Has he been eating anything at all since your last post? Does he behave and swim normal? Worms is all I can guess.... I am not sure how to call the experts to look at this post... Reefers, can you help?

If your LFS doesn't carry black worms, check eastern aquatics ... I get worms from them and my CBB loves em. Good luck man.

Thanks,
Raghav