Copperband Butterfly Not Eating

[Joseph Disalvo]

My butterfly / tusk / trigger and powder blue go crazy for these

 

[WallyB]

My butterfly / tusk / trigger and powder blue go crazy for these

Hey, I didn't know Hikari had that Product!!!
Thanks.

Used to get something simlar from a Grocery Store, but can't find anymore.
Hate preparing Live Clams.

Cool... My Local In Canada Fish Store Carries it.
Going tomorrow.
https://www.aquariumdepot.ca/hikari-bio-pure-frozen-clam-on-a-half-shell-flat-pack-4oz.html

 

[ReefHog]

I’ll try them while I wait for the Mastick ships. Thanks for the advice

I prefer Ocean Nutrition or Hikiri clams on the half shell from pet store. But I’ve fed store bought small clams from time to time. You can freeze the store bought ones before feeding. Then slice them thin and feed with tweezers or just drop a half one in for several hours. Next to worms this was my CBBs favorite food during quarantine. Mine never developed a taste for mastik

 

[WallyB]

I prefer Ocean Nutrition or Hikiri clams on the half shell from pet store. But I’ve fed store bought small clams from time to time. You can freeze the store bought ones before feeding. Then slice them thin and feed with tweezers or just drop a half one in for several hours. Next to worms this was my CBBs favorite food during quarantine. Mine never developed a taste for mastik

I agree Clams are better and a long term food compared to Masstick.
But Masstick worked for me every time (just for finicky training stage).
After training, once they taste Meat, they don't care much about Masstick.

 

[najer]

I am day 9 with my cbb, Masstick worked a charm for me, the pre made ones.
The first frozen it took was bloodworm and it likes mysis rs now, it hunts and grazes well.

 

[WallyB]

How is the Copperband doing? Hope he' is hanging in there (even hungry).

Any luck getting any kind of new Food to try.

I got some of the Hikari Clam on Half shell, and know exactly how Fish Frustration was.

I threw one into each tank.

The Copperband #1 Clam Eatter in Tank A, found it and enjoyed the meal.

Copperband #2 in tank B, was lost. He could smell yummy food, Passed by, sniffed, and then went to look for food. Fish are so stuck on their routine eating. The Clam is justting there. No fish will touch it.
All fish are so habitual. Trained to eat the regular way.
Even if I turn off my Flow, and throw in regular food, they stare wondering why it won't move to chase.
DUMB!

CopperBand #3 in Tank C, was even more clueless......Passed by the clam like 5 times. No reacation.
Until another Fish a Yellow Tang started pecking at the Clam....and the Copperband noticed That's when get Copperband took a bite. He'll come back.

It's amazing how one fish can teach another.

TRAINING is very Frustrating, since you care so much. Thinking. "Just Take one Bite...You'll like it"

All this didn't happen in a minute. It took hours, of waiting. Even with Fish that already eat.

 

[User1]

@WallyB You provided some great tips Oddly enough mine does like mastic but I've only tried it a few times. I use the clams on half shell from Hakari and it picks at them. So once it is gone by the other animals I put the mastic there. There is more than enough food in my tank so while it came in thin (LA/DD) it is full and round while I work through finding the food it actually eats.

But as you pointed out it is all about placement and timing. When it sees the other fish it becomes aware and starts asking hey - what is going on??? So healthy and active is job one and then working through the various foods in rotation to find.

I do agree that it is a training thing and time. Especially if they are young. Mine was maybe 2" in since and probably 3" now.

 

[Zarharsha]

How is the Copperband doing? Hope he' is hanging in there (even hungry).

Any luck getting any kind of new Food to try.

I got some of the Hikari Clam on Half shell, and know exactly how frustration is.
I threw one into each tank.

The Copperband #1 Clam Eatter in Tank A, found it and enjoyed the meal.

Copperband #2 in tank B, was lost. He could smell yummy food, Passed by, sniffed, and then went to look for food. Fish are so stuck on his routine eating. The Clam is justting there. No fish will touch it.
All fish are so habitual. Trained to eat the regular way.
Even if I turn off my Flow, and throw in regular food, they stare wondering why it won't move to chase.
DUMB!

CopperBand #3 in Tank C, was even more clueless......Passed by the clam like 5 times. No reacation.
Until another Fish a Yellow Tang started pecking at the Clam....and the Copperband noticed That's when get Copperband took a bite. He'll come back.

It's amazing how one fish can teach another.

TRAINING is very Frustrating, since you care so much. Thinking. "Just Take one Bite...You'll like it"

He’s still alive. He seems to be more mobile today, but he’s still skinny, I bought frozen muscle and put it in a shell. He could smell it, and went around the shell. I don’t get close enough to see if he is eating it, because every time I do, he swims of and doesn’t come back for a long time. I need to get him eating something, because I think he’ll be dead by the time the masstick arrives. Tomorrow I’m going to try an oyster

 

[WallyB]

He’s still alive. He seems to be more mobile today, but he’s still skinny, I bought frozen muscle and put it in a shell. He could smell it, and went around the shell. I don’t get close enough to see if he is eating it, because every time I do, he swims of and doesn’t come back for a long time. I need to get him eating something, because I think he’ll be dead by the time the masstick arrives. Tomorrow I’m going to try an oyster

More Mobile is great news.

Sniffed the Food is hope.

Yes, they get nervous with your watching.
Hide around a corner and watch.

Keep lights lower (not bright at all, since Copperband are active 24 hours a day. I never see mine sleep like other fish)
Their meals come out at night in Nature (night critters)
They are night hunters.

If you have a WEb Cam, that's what I do as well.

If you see him pecking, that's also a positive sign. Eatting food you can't see.

 

[Joseph Disalvo]

More Mobile is great news.

Sniffed the Food is hope.

Yes, they get nervous with your watching.
Hide around a corner and watch.

Keep lights lower (not bright at all, since Copperband are active 24 hours a day. I never see mine sleep like other fish)
Their meals come out at night in Nature (night critters)
They are night hunters.

If you have a WEb Cam, that's what I do as well.

If you see him pecking, that's also a positive sign. Eatting food you can't see.

 

[Joseph Disalvo]

Hey wally glad you tried out the hikari halfs. Out of curiosity did you thaw the clams before dropping them in the tank ? I only ask because my copper band prefers them thawed where as my tusk and and and powder like them somewhat frozen. Let me know curious !

 

[jaxteller007]

Our CBB has went from everything being fine since we got it a little over 3 weeks ago to last night and today, laying on it's side a lot, not moving much, just in general looking like it's struggling really badly. Water parameters haven't changed. A good friend said in his experience it's like it has just decided that it does not like any of the food being offered. I easily caught it today and put it in an acclimation box where lots of various pieces of food will easily drift in and it won't have any competition for it. Also dimmed the lights to calm everyone else down. I think our tank may just be too aggressive when it comes to feeding time. The CBB doesn't show any damage from anyone messing with it, just all the other guys are really high energy eaters.

Only other thing I could think is the temp in the tank has spiked to almost 80 from the normal 76-77. Our hole house is running hot these days cause our HVAC system sucks and the rental company won't do much about it. I'm trying to bring the temp down in the tank but not sure if that's what would cause the behavior or not.

 

[jaxteller007]

My wife is going to pick up some live brine shrimp from an LFS on her way home from the office and see if they have any other recommendations as well.

 

[Webslinger]

mastic?

 

[jaxteller007]

mastic?

Been trying it for a week. I've seen all the others eat it but not the CBB. I put some in the acclimation box with it but afraid it may be too late.

 

[Webslinger]

put some in a clam shell

 

[jaxteller007]

put some in a clam shell

I'll run to the store and try and grab some mussel soon as I'm done with work. Right now the poor thing is just laying on its side in the acclimation box.

 

[Elliott ll]

For anyone who is having issues with feeding Butterflyfish, please try clams or cockles. They are the single best thing you can use. I had tons of trouble getting my Butterflys to eat until I learned about feeding clams. Cockles are cheaper if you can find them. This was a life saver and all my fish absolutely love them... They all slowly transitioned to frozen mysis, and then to PE mysis pellets and Seaweed pellets.

When in doubt... clam.

 

[argiBK]

If you need blackworms shipped, Eastern Aquatics is your source: https://shop.easternaquatics.com/product.sc?productId=1

They did the trick for me, and I slowly transitioned my CB into frozen/dry foods with them.

 

[HK180]

I second live clams/oysters for any kind of finicky fish, particularly those that naturally graze/peck at rockwork. Masstick is another great option.