are CBB really that hard?

[Jack_soho]

I’ve been hearing and doing hundreds of hours on research about the copper banded butterfly and been to multiple Lfs too grab their 2 cents, and from what i’ve gathered is that they aren’t hard you just need a healthy specimen that will eat prepared foods, lmk what you guys think, the more information the better
Thanks again!

 

[20gallonreefer000]

They can be sensitive/picky. Just make sure to observe the one you plan on getting for a while. As long as it's eating and has no signs of illness it should be fine.

 

[Jack_soho]

Ok great, ive seen some people like get them start eating mussels, but yea i agree i think i should keep observing the fish at my LFS

 

[mfinn]

I got one from Dr. Reef last year. It was fully quarantined and eating frozen food when it came.
Didn't have any issues with it after shipping.

 

[Oldreefer44]

They are foragers so a mature tank is important.

 

[exnisstech]

Getting them to eat can be challenging and just because they are eating at a LFS doesn't mean they will continue after being moved. I like to condition them in an observation tank.

This one has been in observation for 60+ days because I'm also growing him out.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

I got mine from TSM Aquatics and it lasted me 3 years. It was a bigger one though. I would go the quarantined way for these fish since they will come already eating.

 

[mcarroll]

Ok great, ive seen some people like get them start eating mussels, but yea i agree i think i should keep observing the fish at my LFS

I think this is one of the fish @Paul B entices with clams on the half shell. If he doesn't post, see if you can search his posts for copper band butterfly, etc.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

deleted

 

[mcarroll]

In the meantime I don't know if these are his best posts on the topic or not, but they address the subject directly, https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-do-fish-eat.58879/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a-discussion-on-immunity.209701/post-3674314 (<--mid-thread, could be worth significant backtracking to get more info)

 

[AviR]

Live brine shrimp really helps in my experience, I would put in the live brine and then once it showed interest started feeding frozen brine with some live and then a 50/50 mysis brine

 

[Michael Hughes]

OP, I'm in the same boat. Done a ton of reading about CBBs and I plan to add one the DT in the future.

I got one from Dr. Reef last year. It was fully quarantined and eating frozen food when it came.
Didn't have any issues with it after shipping

This is great to hear! I've been planning to get one from Dr. Reef, so it's great to hear personal experience. Did you get a larger size from them or smaller?

They are foragers so a mature tank is important.

I've seen this advice a lot too, which is why I'm waiting for my tank to mature further.

Looking forward to hearing from other's experiences!

 

[mfinn]

OP, I'm in the same boat. Done a ton of reading about CBBs and I plan to add one the DT in the future.


This is great to hear! I've been planning to get one from Dr. Reef, so it's great to hear personal experience. Did you get a larger size from them or smaller?


I've seen this advice a lot too, which is why I'm waiting for my tank to mature further.

Looking forward to hearing from other's experiences!

Mine was about 2-1/2".

 

[exnisstech]

I got mine from TSM Aquatics and it lasted me 3 years. It was a bigger one though. I would go the quarantined way for these fish since they will come already eating.

It's not at all uncommon for them to stop eating after being moved. I'm more concerned getting a healthy specimen than one eating that way it has time to learn to eat before it starves.

 

[Biokabe]

I had one and probably won't repeat. It was from Dr. Reef, but after showing some initial interest in foods it never really started eating again. Ignored clams on the half shell, ignored BBS, ignored frozen, ignored my food blend coming in from my Plank. Seemed to just spend a lot of time charging at its reflection on the walls and occasionally picking at the rocks. I found it pinned beneath my Nero 5 powerhead about 6 weeks after I got it. Still don't know if it died because it got pinned, or if it got pinned because it finally starved.

I don't blame Dr. Reef for that, by the way, he looked to be in good condition when he came in and did show some initial interest in food.