Copperband butterfly with clams?

[SaltyWalty]

So I’ve always really wanted a Copperband butterfly, I only have a yellow tang and foxface as far as larger fish the rest are small docile fish. I keep mainly acros and other sps so I’m not too worried about coral nipping however I have several clams in my tank. Has anyone managed to keep CBB in a tank with clams long term? If so was it just luck of draw with the fish or did you do anything to prevent clam damage?

 

[letzride15]

I assume like anything it’s luck of the draw and personality. My copper and doesn’t even look at the clam’s mantle. He does look at the shell. But I’ve had zero issues in 3-4 months for reference from me

 

[iFunnny]

Oddly enough, i usually feed them market clams and scallops to get them to start eating and they eventually eat mysis (some eat mysis off the bat), but when i put them in the display, ive never had one touch a clam. But i have had friends who had their clams demolished, especially smaller clams.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I have not had any issues. But then again I never fed my CBB clams. But in reefing, there are no guarantees.

 

[JoJosReef]

I tried to feed mine clams, but nope, not interested. Eats mysis, freeze dried black worms and live white worms. Several months later I add a squamosa and a crocea and now I have them in DIY cages because the CBB kept turning unside down over them and picking right down at their siphons.

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[code4]

my cbb left my clams alone for at least a year. Then suddenly realized he wanted to add them to the menu!

 

[SaltyWalty]

my cbb left my clams alone for at least a year. Then suddenly realized he wanted to add them to the menu!

That’s a pretty typical situation from what I’ve learned about them! Sad since they are such pretty fish

 

[code4]

@SaltyWalty It worked out for both. The Copperband went into a larger tank I had set up for him. I had been using the 40 gallon breeder to make sure he was eating well and fat. Eating from the water column and fat. I am missing a bounce mushroom from the clams (Chowder) tank. So I would say the CBB ate it. You can't have everything you want in one tank. So have multiple tanks.

 

[code4]

And my CBB has a favorite food. It is mussels. I also had to make a DIY cover for Chowder. I used plexiglass. Made a rectangle and drilled a lot of holes in it.

 

[code4]

@SaltyWalty Just noticed you have a Yellow Tang. I recently added one to the CBB's tank. It is from Biota and I have had it a couple years in another tank. Everyone was happy the first week. Then it suddenly starts after my CBB. Now I have two mirrors from Hobby Lobby on the tank. The tang is busy trying to battle itself. Leaving the CBB alone. We are 2 weeks in with the mirrors and the mirror attacks are slowing down.