Copperband Butterflyfish in a reef tank?

ToXIc · Apr 15, 2011

ok so after reading liveaquaria's description of the copperband and also talking to LSF.. i still dont know what to do...

i really want one.. my LFS said its not reef safe.. and according to liveaquaria

Caution should be exercised if housing these fish in a reef aquarium. They may pick on invertebrates, especially anemones and feather dusters.

do you have one in your reef tank? do then mess with the stuff quoted above?

btkrausen · Apr 15, 2011

I had one in my reef for at least a year or two, and he didn't touch anything. He would pick at the rocks, eat mysis, but never touch corals. It was fun to watch him swim upside down to get his mouth into crevices.

n8rad · Apr 15, 2011

they are reef safe. One of the few butterflies that are. I have one because they are so beautiful. I always heard about them eating aptasia just like peppermint shrimp but never really believed it. But oh my gosh was i wrong, my copperband attacks any aptasia he sees. My tank had them pretty bad but im hard pressed to find even one now. IMO i think everyone should have one for a sucessful looking tank!
but i want to drive home...They are reef safe.

Murfman · Apr 15, 2011

They can go both ways. 1, they don't get all of the aptasia, they rip it off the rock, leaving the foot and the aptasia can regrow. 2, once the aptasia (meat) is gone, they can start in on LPS. They like to nibble on the tenticals that the LPS put out to feed. One of those buyer beware fish. They will totally wipe out your feather dusters.

ToXIc · Apr 15, 2011

what about it messing with anemones i have a RBTA and a feather duster.. will it mess with them?

or do they see RBTAs differently to pest anemones?

Rockadile · Apr 15, 2011

I think the hardest thing about them is getting them too eat. I have read too many stories of them not living very long

gqjeff · Apr 15, 2011

Feed them black worms and you will have no worries. I have one in my cube and he ate every aptasia in less then a week. He did take food or nip at tenticles from time to time but I keep him well feed on black worms and he never nips now. Great fish and he will EAT every aptasia and feather duster in the tank. No harm to my large gbta. Fat full stomach.

swannyson7 · Apr 15, 2011

If you get one, your feather duster is gone. They are also known to pick at polyps & clam mantles. A gorgeous fish, but not entirely reef safe. They are also pretty passive, so other active fish might force him to hide a bit and they're known to be difficult to get eating. Paul B posted a hatcheryfor black worms over on RC and copperbands are supposed to love those, so you may want to check that out if you get one.

ToXIc · Apr 15, 2011

Ok so I'll take the feather duster back the the lfs when I transfer everything over.

The rbta should be ok. My clown should protect it.

I also want to have some clams when the tank matures. What beside keeping the copperband fed can I do to stop him from nipping at it?

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Troylee · Apr 15, 2011

I just got rid of mine I had him for 2 years... Originally he ate all my feather dusters and aiptasia that's the reason I got him.... A mOnth later he ate my clam then went after acans and my scolly I tried and tried to catch him with no luck then went after my z&ps and finally a mp60 on full blast caught him.... I didn't plan that to happen but good riddance!!!!!!! I won't buy another one unless it's a fo tank.... You can take that fwiw...

greg0385 · Apr 15, 2011

i had one for about a month, my first tank was a 55 was a fowlr and i only had couple low end zoas, a tube anemone,some feather dusters..etc.., needless to say no more feather dusters. he went back to the lfs.

ToXIc · Apr 23, 2011

Wow I was really hoping to get more good storied than bad out of this thread...

Man I really want one but it doesn't look like I should risk it.

fsu1dolfan · Apr 23, 2011

ToXIc said:
Wow I was really hoping to get more good storied than bad out of this thread...

Man I really want one but it doesn't look like I should risk it.

Yup there are good stories out there but there are also lots of bad stories. Not just what the nip at but sometimes just getting them to get prepared foods it tough!

snoopie · Apr 23, 2011

I love mine he is great. Lee lives by me and he told me stories but I got one anyways. He eats all aptaisa and feather duster. And he love krill I give him. He has never picked at any of my two clams or any coral I keep him full and he's good. I even have a green/jaded filefish which is know to be like a copper band reef safe with caution but he's the same way as my copper.

All in all you are going to take a risk. I took mine and I love mine. He don't eat coral and keeps the tank clean.

Sent from my EVO.

Akwarius · Apr 23, 2011

I've tried to keep one twice with no luck. Some of them have trouble adapting to captivity. When mine ran out of aiptasia and feather dusters, off to the lfs they went...

xmetalfan99 · Apr 23, 2011

Copperband Butterflies are reef safe with the exception of clams and feather dusters. I have seen one CBB take out 4 clams in 1 day even though it was well fed.

swannyson7 · Apr 23, 2011

They're also known to pick at polyps and LPS. Pretty much only reef safe if you have a SPS system IMO

REEFCRAFT · May 3, 2011

These are delicate fish. Shipping them in bags standing up often causes injury to their mouths which starves them out. Collection methods also cause internal injury seen quite often. These fish are also known to picking at LPS and can cause enough damage to cause rapid death in coral it is picking at, such as acans. Imo, they are not worth keeping. Most never make it few months, much less a few years. They are also very prone to getting Lymphocytosis, which will kill them over time as it gets into their gills. Manual removal of lumps will not "cure" the disease, which is often found on angelfish as well.

GnarleyMarley · May 3, 2011

I have had mine for a little over 8 months with no problems, The biggest thing is to make sure that the one u r buying will eat before u buy him, Get the LFS to feed them and watch his responce, if u buy one that is not eating it can be tricky to get them to start eating esp in a established tank with other fish competing for food. The CBB has poor eye to mouth coordiation so i have found hand feeding mine mysis everyday seems to keep him happy. As far as corals go mine has ever messed with any type of coral (zoas, LPS, SPS), or clam (i have 6) in my tank (knock on wood) although i have heard some horror stories about them I guess it's kinda the luck of the draw. As far as feather dusters go.... they will all be gone, I used to have tons of them but they were the first thing he ate, but it was well worth it, I LOVE MY CBB!!!!!