Am I providing a complete diet for my Copperbanded Butterfly?

[Nibs]

I have had my Copperband for 1 month now and am starting the think if what I am feeding is sustainable in the long term. Currently, I feed chopped clam, oyster and scollop which I push into cracks in a rock that is lowered into the tank with a piece of fishing line. The Copperband devours it instantly and looks nice and fat, although I am wondering if this could be considered a complete food or do I need to supplement its feed somehow to avoid future issues. TIA

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

I would try to mix in some foods that are less rich in thiaminase, personally. It can cause B12 deficiencies in fish and can sometimes lead to wasting or sudden death. Clams and scallops are especially high, oysters however lack thiaminase so that would be a better staple option. Will he touch mysis or brine shrimp?

 

[Nibs]

I would try to mix in some foods that are less rich in thiaminase, personally. It can cause B12 deficiencies in fish and can sometimes lead to wasting or sudden death. Clams and scallops are especially high, oysters however lack thiaminase so that would be a better staple option. Will he touch mysis or brine shrimp?

Thanks for your reply. He won't eat anything from the water column but eats them if I mix them in with the mixture I put on the rocks. I can use a higher percent of oyster in my mix do you think this would be beneficial?

 

[exnisstech]

My CBB loves masstick. If yours will eat it you could mix other food in with it to try and get it to eat other foods. It can be smeared on a rock.

 

[Nibs]

My CBB loves masstick. If yours will eat it you could mix other food in with it to try and get it to eat other foods. It can be smeared on a rock.

Tried masstick both I and my Copperband don't like it

 

[littlefoxx]

@vetteguy53081 has a fat copperband if I remember right

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have had my Copperband for 1 month now and am starting the think if what I am feeding is sustainable in the long term. Currently, I feed chopped clam, oyster and scollop which I push into cracks in a rock that is lowered into the tank with a piece of fishing line. The Copperband devours it instantly and looks nice and fat, although I am wondering if this could be considered a complete food or do I need to supplement its feed somehow to avoid future issues. TIA

There’s no real specific diet as CBB can be finicky
I was lucky to get an eating machine from the start
It favorite is LRS herbivore diet and rods original formula but also loves mysis and small plankton
It can’t stand masstick

 

[exnisstech]

I used live black worms early on. I think they helped to get mine to eat from the water column. I've read white worms live longer in the water but I could only find black worms locally.

 

[Nibs]

There’s no real specific diet as CBB can be finicky
I was lucky to get an eating machine from the start
It favorite is LRS herbivore diet and rods original formula but also loves mysis and small plankton
It can’t stand masstick

Thanks, unfortunately I have have no way of getting any LRS or rods here. And my CBB also can't stand masstick which I can't really blame as it doesn't look very appetising. I made a new mix of oyster, scallop, shrimp, mysis, copepods and sea lettuce. It seems to enjoy it so hoping this gives it the nutrients it needs

 

[Nibs]

I used live black worms early on. I think they helped to get mine to eat from the water column. I've read white worms live longer in the water but I could only find black worms locally.

It's the opposite here, I can only get white worms and no black worms. Luckily he eats them happily

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Thanks for your reply. He won't eat anything from the water column but eats them if I mix them in with the mixture I put on the rocks. I can use a higher percent of oyster in my mix do you think this would be beneficial?

Have you ever tried using gelatin and using “juice” from the oysters and such in the mixture? Then you can put oyster, brine, mysis, etc into the gel. You may need to use saltwater so it will sink properly on the rocks. Can also use a small chunk of rock to set the gel around then wedge the covered rock into the other rocks in the tank?
Just tossing ideas. But if he likes oyster then feeding more of that would be ideal, might be able to enrich it with a liquid vitamin mix if it isn’t already.

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

It's the opposite here, I can only get white worms and no black worms. Luckily he eats them happily

White worms and oyster would be a decent staple diet mix for such a picky species haha

 

[jtf74]

Had mine about 5 years. I feed mostly mysis w/ cut shrimp, scallop, calamari mix once every week or two. Seems happy and healthy. Also I fed mine aiptaisia a couple times a week from a separate tank for a couple years. Easy source of food to raise and good to have a spare tank going.

 

[Nibs]

Have you ever tried using gelatin and using “juice” from the oysters and such in the mixture? Then you can put oyster, brine, mysis, etc into the gel. You may need to use saltwater so it will sink properly on the rocks. Can also use a small chunk of rock to set the gel around then wedge the covered rock into the other rocks in the tank?
Just tossing ideas. But if he likes oyster then feeding more of that would be ideal, might be able to enrich it with a liquid vitamin mix if it isn’t already.

Good idea, do you think agar agar may be a better gelling agent since it's derived from red algae? I'm pretty happy with how he's eating and I have a few different mixes I'm feeding but the gelling idea with the juices might help keep the food in place for longer as some does come loose and gets eaten by the other fish

 

[vaguelyreeflike]

Good idea, do you think agar agar may be a better gelling agent since it's derived from red algae? I'm pretty happy with how he's eating and I have a few different mixes I'm feeding but the gelling idea with the juices might help keep the food in place for longer as some does come loose and gets eaten by the other fish

Agar may be even better honestly, could try mixing some nori into it as well.

 

[Nibs]

Agar may be even better honestly, could try mixing some nori into it as well.

Awesome. I'll try note back in a few weeks or so with an update on what I'm feeding and how he's going. Thanks for your help

 

[Paul B]

Mine eat mostly shellfish as you are providing. I also feed a couple of times a week live worms that you probably can't get where you live but chopped earthworms are also great. They eat mostly worms and tiny fish in the sea and don't seem to need anything else.

My copperbands normaly live about 10 years as this one was.

 

[Koty]

I have had my Copperband for 1 month now and am starting the think if what I am feeding is sustainable in the long term. Currently, I feed chopped clam, oyster and scollop which I push into cracks in a rock that is lowered into the tank with a piece of fishing line. The Copperband devours it instantly and looks nice and fat, although I am wondering if this could be considered a complete food or do I need to supplement its feed somehow to avoid future issues. TIA

Yes, chopped clam, oyster, and scallop is enough. This is because they are filter feeders that eat plankton from where all the goodies come (vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc.). I feed my 2-year-old CBB mussels and blood worms just because he loves them and they are protein-rich.

 

[jbhydroman]

I have had my Copperband for 1 month now and am starting the think if what I am feeding is sustainable in the long term. Currently, I feed chopped clam, oyster and scollop which I push into cracks in a rock that is lowered into the tank with a piece of fishing line. The Copperband devours it instantly and looks nice and fat, although I am wondering if this could be considered a complete food or do I need to supplement its feed somehow to avoid future issues. TIA

I use Boyd's multivitamins in my CBB diet. Will cut up some clams and dethaw brine shrimp and marinate them in this vitamin solution, about twice a week. I have had him for 6 months and the CBB looks great and has a devouring appetite.

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

Tried masstick both I and my Copperband don't like it

Proper stinky, isn’t it?