CopperBand Butterfly Diet?

WorldZY · Apr 16, 2022

Hi everyone! Brand new to this website! I have a question any experts would like to help me out.

My wife and I just upgraded to our 1st CopperBand Butterfly fish. Now, I heard all the "fear" about how challenging they can be to eat, but I want to set them with a variety of diet to make sure they eat and get the proper care. We did watch the CBB eat at the store, and after acclimation... our CBB was swimming through rocks and all over the tank looking pretty happy. They are still swimming around now. My LFS said to start off with clams on the Half-Shell and let them pick at it a bit before trying other things.

My Question is... I am looking to buy Frozen Brine Shrimp Cubes, Purchasing some Live Blood/Black Worms to see which food source the Big Guy/Gal wants. I saw PetsMart has some Frozen Brine Shrimp Cubes, I am going to call my LFS for Live worms. Any suggestions you have would be really appreciated!

Thank you and looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

WorldZY · Apr 16, 2022

To add to this... my Fish store does not sell Live Worms at this time sadly.

Paul B · Apr 16, 2022

If you can't get live worms the clam idea is the best. I don't put in the entire thing, I freeze the clams and shave off paper thin slices.
They also eat frozen mysis. The frozen brine shrimp is a bad idea for a few reasons. Brine shrimp are tosmall and they don't have much nutrition.

Here is mine eating clams. I have been keeping copperbands since the 70s. One of my favorite fish.

WorldZY · Apr 16, 2022

Paul B said:
If you can't get live worms the clam idea is the best. I don't put in the entire thing, I freeze the clams and shave off paper thin slices.
They also eat frozen mysis. The frozen brine shrimp is a bad idea for a few reasons. Brine shrimp are tosmall and they don't have much nutrition.

Here is mine eating clams. I have been keeping copperbands since the 70s. One of my favorite fish.

Thank you for this! Yes, the Clams are frozen and we been putting 2 at the bottom of the tank and letting Gill (name) pick at it. I am sure they are very nervous being in a new tank so it might be a bit. I did order Premium Frozen Blood Worms and Mysis Shrimp! Can't wait to try this.

Thank you so much. My wife has always wanted this fish. I want to make sure it is well taken care of. Thank you for the response!

vetteguy53081 · Apr 16, 2022

You will get varied answers as everyone has a favorite food to eat or access to certain foods.
Mine has been an eating machine since day two and 3+ years for me.
Industry favorites are :
Masticks
LRS Herbivore diet
clam on a shell
spirulina Brine shrimp
Mysis shrimp

In addition to above, mine eats:
small plankton
krill
LRS meaty
Mysis pellets
Hikari Marine cuisine
Rods original formula

WorldZY · Apr 16, 2022

I go to check on the Aquarium and there Gill was pecking at the clam! Of course they swam off when I went to get a picture.

Tamberav · Apr 16, 2022

Fresh live clam you buy from the grocery and put in your own freezer is much better then the clam on the half shell you buy at the LFS.

Culture live white worms

Masstick is pretty good too.

Grats on your new fish, it is on the skinny side so be sure to get it eating quality foods right away. Not brine as has been said.

atoll · Apr 16, 2022

Once feeding well on a first food introduce more variety as ideally you dont6want your CB to get stuck on the ine type. I feed most of what others have already suggested above.
This is my CB which I purchased a week to the day. Not exactly skinny but I hope to feed it up a bit more and for it to put a bit more weight on.