Copperband butterfly advice

[DariusThomad]

I’m after some advice, I had a copperband ordered in for me (hasn’t been quarantined and got shipped in today at 11am EST) I’ve picked him up and placed him in my very small (only tank I have) 25ish litre tank. I was hoping to get him atleast feeding today/ even a nibble but I don’t think he has, I’ve got copepods (3 bags) in with him and I’ve got 2 spare ready to use (hoping to hand feed tomorrow with pipette) I’m also buying live brine and mysis tomorrow for variety. There is also a half a shell of muscle in there with him. Given it’s his first day I’m not too worried with food and he seems to be a very nice size given he’s just come off a lorry!
Any advice in terms of feeding would be appreciated!
Now here’s my question and reason for the post. I’ve got my main display tank that he’s going it ready for him (obviously) but I thought it would be best to try get him feeding/ train him on frozen or atleast to feed from a pipette so I know he’s getting a chance to eat in the big tank. But he looks like he’s trying to escape and I don’t like the look of how he’s ‘flashing’ around. He’s come out his shell a bunch since he’s been in there. What does everyone suggest? Do I put him in the main tank now/ tomorrow morning and hope he’s eating, or stick it out keeping him in the small tank?
Attached is a photo of both tanks

My main consists of:
1 yellow tang, been in for a week
4 clowns, been in since beginning
1 diamond goby, been in since beginning
1 bi colour blenny, been in for a month
An array of CUC
1 regal tang, still very small (inch and half) been in for about 2 months.

I’ve never QT before so never had the need for a large tank... now I wish I did!!!

 

[sunken3]

CBB are pretty finicky to start (many dont make it in my experience).. if you have a healthy one, what you're doing is fine. mine basically lives off of mysis and picking at rocks. he's big and healthy and fears nothing. you cold also try Masstik (think they even sell it on amazon).. the pre-pressed cubes are the best. it's like a brown super stinky gumdrop that you stick to the tank glass and the fish peck at it.. most love it.. i of course rarely use it these days b/c my cow fish just takes the entire cube in one bite.

 

[Sam816]

if u can get some live worms or brine shrimps then they might encourage a feeding response. I have ssen ppl having success with blood worms too.

 

[dedragon]

+1 got live blackworms for mine to start eating, then moved onto mysis

 

[vetteguy53081]

Takes them a little time to get rolling with diet. Mine for some odd reason began eating day 2 but typically, they graze first few days and then pick until they find something they like. Mine loves particularly nori seaweed, LRS Herbivore diet, spirulina brine shrimp and mysis shrimp

 

[vic5hands]

keep a close eye on the Yellow tang they go after the copperband butterfly

 

[sp1187]

if your tank has been running for awhile, and you have the little tiny feather duster worms on the rock work, he will feast on those.

 

[ReefHog]

If your Holding tank doesn’t have a seasoned bio filter, make sure your checking the ammonia levels. In a tank that small it can build up quickly and stress or kill the fish.

 

[sunken3]

If your Holding tank doesn’t have a seasoned bio filter, make sure your checking the ammonia levels. In a tank that small it can build up quickly and stress or kill the fish.

agreed - that size is probably good for about 2 days before the ammonia starts to build. I have been using 10 gallon tanks for QT and I see changes in the 36-48 hour mark (then i do 100% water changes) - but i am not using any bio filtration (purposely).

 

[DariusThomad]

hello all! Thank you for the responses, I ended up leaving him in there and recorded him while I was away from tank (after pouring a load of copepods and some brine shrimp in the tank) he’s funny enough eating like crazy!! Just not around me (I’ll attach a clip)
I’ve now placed a cube of frozen brine to try ‘rush’ the process along so he is in the small tank for as short time as possible. Happy with seeing him eat on the second day though!
The tank has a bag of sand that is around one year mature it also has matured rock roughly 6 months old hoping this will keep the ammonia down, I will do WC aswell!
I am currently using the spare heater from my main tank to heat him and I have a small cheap filter that is making the water move.
really happy with the progress considering one day has passed I was worried about him not eating and I was thinking that putting him in the main display may encourage him to eat given is that he would watch other fish.. glad I haven’t yet! Thanks for the help- will continue to update

 

[DariusThomad]

 

[DariusThomad]

 

[Hal3134]

My CBB loves PE brand myis and bloodworms. It also eats brine.

 

[mguili1947]

Buy clams freeze them and give him one he will tear them up

 

[jtf74]

I’m after some advice, I had a copperband ordered in for me (hasn’t been quarantined and got shipped in today at 11am EST) I’ve picked him up and placed him in my very small (only tank I have) 25ish litre tank. I was hoping to get him atleast feeding today/ even a nibble but I don’t think he has, I’ve got copepods (3 bags) in with him and I’ve got 2 spare ready to use (hoping to hand feed tomorrow with pipette) I’m also buying live brine and mysis tomorrow for variety. There is also a half a shell of muscle in there with him. Given it’s his first day I’m not too worried with food and he seems to be a very nice size given he’s just come off a lorry!
Any advice in terms of feeding would be appreciated!
Now here’s my question and reason for the post. I’ve got my main display tank that he’s going it ready for him (obviously) but I thought it would be best to try get him feeding/ train him on frozen or atleast to feed from a pipette so I know he’s getting a chance to eat in the big tank. But he looks like he’s trying to escape and I don’t like the look of how he’s ‘flashing’ around. He’s come out his shell a bunch since he’s been in there. What does everyone suggest? Do I put him in the main tank now/ tomorrow morning and hope he’s eating, or stick it out keeping him in the small tank?
Attached is a photo of both tanks

My main consists of:
1 yellow tang, been in for a week
4 clowns, been in since beginning
1 diamond goby, been in since beginning
1 bi colour blenny, been in for a month
An array of CUC
1 regal tang, still very small (inch and half) been in for about 2 months.

I’ve never QT before so never had the need for a large tank... now I wish I did!!!

Yours could use some weight it looks like. Absolutely QT this fish and get it eating before you put it in the display! Also be prepared to catch that yellow tang if it doesn't like the CBB. I had to sell mine because it gave my CBB a gash with its tail. Mine loves aiptasia, and goes crazy for any live worms black or white. Wouldn't touch clams though many will. Most won't turn down live black worms if you can get ahold of some. Mine will also eat smaller earthworms in a pinch. I feed frozen mysis which it was eating at LFS but won't touch brine or frozen blood worms. Good luck. Great fish once it gets eating and is the most voracious eater in my tank now.

 

[dedragon]

mine wouldnt touch clam, or brine shrimp. Had to use live blackworms at first then switched to pe mysis. Good to see him start eating, now it has to eat more aggressively and its easier imo to suction up the leftover mysis than the brine in qt, dont want issues with ammonia

 

[DariusThomad]

Buy clams freeze them and give him one he will tear them up

Yeah, I done this and it wasn’t interested, it’s now in the main tank so it will hopefully see the yellow tang doing it, little flare up here and there but they look like they’re going to settle down

 

[DariusThomad]

mine wouldnt touch clam, or brine shrimp. Had to use live blackworms at first then switched to pe mysis. Good to see him start eating, now it has to eat more aggressively and its easier imo to suction up the leftover mysis than the brine in qt, dont want issues with ammonia

Yeah, I put a bag of live in with him last night and this morning there literally wasn’t one left and he’s had 2 bags now so I’d consider him eating well lol

 

[DariusThomad]

Yours could use some weight it looks like. Absolutely QT this fish and get it eating before you put it in the display! Also be prepared to catch that yellow tang if it doesn't like the CBB. I had to sell mine because it gave my CBB a gash with its tail. Mine loves aiptasia, and goes crazy for any live worms black or white. Wouldn't touch clams though many will. Most won't turn down live black worms if you can get ahold of some. Mine will also eat smaller earthworms in a pinch. I feed frozen mysis which it was eating at LFS but won't touch brine or frozen blood worms. Good luck. Great fish once it gets eating and is the most voracious eater in my tank now.

Ahh I see, I fed him a bag of brine initially (store bought live bag) and he ate them all in a couple days, I then fed him another bag last night and woke up to absolutely none left. I’ve placed him into the main tank and there was a couple ‘fights’ between him and the yellow tang however the tang wasn’t fighting with its tail like they usually do, it was only chasing and using its mouth. I see this as ‘showing whose boss’ they have settled down massively and swim together here and there now, only been an hour or so... mine seems to eat out of the water column and I fed the main tank with him in it and he ate some frozen food out of the water, I definitely got a lucky little guy considering he’s eating happy. I wouldn’t say he’s underweight personally however I’ve never had one! Here is a better photo of him

 

[jtf74]

Ahh I see, I fed him a bag of brine initially (store bought live bag) and he ate them all in a couple days, I then fed him another bag last night and woke up to absolutely none left. I’ve placed him into the main tank and there was a couple ‘fights’ between him and the yellow tang however the tang wasn’t fighting with its tail like they usually do, it was only chasing and using its mouth. I see this as ‘showing whose boss’ they have settled down massively and swim together here and there now, only been an hour or so... mine seems to eat out of the water column and I fed the main tank with him in it and he ate some frozen food out of the water, I definitely got a lucky little guy considering he’s eating happy. I wouldn’t say he’s underweight personally however I’ve never had one! Here is a better photo of him

Not terribly under weight, no just could use a little extra. Glad to hear its eating out of column. Good sign! Watch that tang though. Mine went from chasing the CBB to one day having a nice cut. My CBB started to get tired of being chased and started standing its ground showing the tang its top spikes and thats when the tang started using its tail. Maybe yours will get along hopefully but let me tell you a tang can eviscerate another fish so quickly that before you know it its a goner.