Copperband butterflyfish

[Uncle99]

I have a few aptasia he could eat but would there be any problems with rainbow bubble tips?

Mine has not touched my BTA in 6 years so far

 

[Pink Reef]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been going back and forth on adding a Copperband Butterflyfish to my 4ft (120g) mixed reef and wanted to get some real-world feedback before I commit.

Current stocking is fairly peaceful but active:

• 2 Ocellaris Clowns
• 2 Skunk Clowns
• 4 Green Chromis
• Golden Angelfish
• Yellow Watchman Goby
• Yellow Coris Wrasse
• Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse
• 2 Banggai Cardinals
• Yellow Tang and Blue Hippo
• Planning to add a Leopard Wrasse soon

So, the tank definitely has some competition when it comes to feeding, which is my biggest concern.

I love Copperbands and the idea of having one as a bit of a centerpiece fish, but I keep hearing mixed things about how difficult they can be—especially with getting them to eat consistently. I’d hate to get one and not be able to meet its needs long-term.

For those of you with experience:

• How hard was it to get your Copperband eating in a tank with other active feeders?
• What foods worked best (live blackworms, frozen mysis, clams, etc.)?
• Did it eventually take prepared foods or always require special feeding?
• Any issues with it being outcompeted by wrasses/tangs?
• Did yours bother any corals, feather dusters, or inverts?

Also, when picking one out:

• What are the biggest signs of a healthy vs. risky specimen?

And if it didn’t work out for you, I’d really appreciate hearing what happened so I can avoid making the same mistakes.

I’m really tempted to try one, but I want to go in prepared (or be talked out of it if it’s a bad fit for this setup).

Thanks!

I chose a fish that was actively picking at rocks and the glass at the LfS. Did a 20 minute water acclimation. Got a cube of blood worms in a tong and held it in the water. When it started thawing the worms wiggle and the copperband came right over and actively ate. I have a lot of live rock in my tank too. I’ve had her over a year now and she will eat mysis, brine too. Totally ignores pellets and flakes.

 

[Pink Reef]

Alright thank you for the advice. If I go ahead and get one, what should I start with feeding mine? I've heard blackworms work but also clam on the half shell.

Mine loves clam, worms, brine and mysis in that order

 

[Pink Reef]

Alright thank you for the advice. If I go ahead and get one, what should I start with feeding mine? I've heard blackworms work but also clam on the half shell.

Mine loves clam, worms, brine and mysis

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine age 6 and eating since day one. Best to see one thats eating at time of purchase

 

[Bucrob]

Mine age 6 and eating since day one. Best to see one thats eating at time of purchase

What did you start her feeding and what are you currently feeding?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What did you start her feeding and what are you currently feeding?

First food offered and greedily accepted was LRS herbivore frenzy. Other favorites, bloodworms, plankton and chopped krill

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

That tank is too small for the blue hippo. Probably shouldn’t add any more fish.

THIS.

 

[Bucrob]

THIS.

If I had a dollar for every time somebody said that, I'd be rich...

 

[blazn]

In the past, I had ordered a pre-quarantined CB online from a reputable dealer, assuming that it would have had to have learned to eat from the water column during the QT process. I had every type of food available, live black worms, clam, Masstick and assorted fish foods. I even made a DIY CB feeder, with all the holes drilled into it, but it didn't take to that either. The only food I offered that it ate was Masstick, which I applied to porous rock and froze prior to adding to the DT. It liked the Masstick, but that wasn't enough nourishment. The fish would never identify food in the water column and it perished in 3 weeks.

That was a tortuous process that I did not want to put another fish through, until one day, while at the LFS buying supplies, I noticed a nice looking CB and mentioned it to the LFS owner. She indicated that he had been "eating like a champ", so I had her feed him and sure enough, it was an aggressive eater of PE mysis. So, I took the chance and purchased the CB.

I put the CB thru a quarantine process, which included feeding with Metro, applying Copper Power & then Prazi. It continued to eat PE mysis thru this process and I slowly started adding LRS Reef Frenzy to its diet. After the quarantine process completed, I put the CB in my DT and he's still thriving 3+ years later, with an assortment of other fish that pretty well equals what you've listed.

My CB will only eat frozen foods. Never took to clams or live black worms, but loves LRS and PE mysis and has recently taken a liking to chunks of frozen bloodworms. I feed broadcast style, without shutting down my wavemakers. This moves the food throughout the tank, so there's less competition in the feeding spot. As the CB tends to eat at the top of the tank and the other fish prefer the mid and lower levels for feeding, my CB doesn't have too much competition for food. But, while I feed frozen food, I'm focused on dropping the food when my CB is ready for it and not too much at once, as they tend to get confused if they have too many targets to eat at once. So, I'm primarily feeding my CB and as he misses quite a bit, the rest of the tank gets his leftovers. I also feed frozen twice a day, sometimes more, as CB's have small stomachs (as they're built to hunt throughout the day) and even a single feeding per day wouldn't be sufficient for it to thrive.

So, I strongly advise not to buy a CB without witnessing that it is an agressive eater, as some will never learn to eat from the water column. You must also be willing to commit to feeding it multiple times per day and as they typically only eat fronzen, that can be an unrealistic commitment for some people. I also agree that it's best to initially give a CB a separate tank to learn feeding practices & food types, away from the DT and competition. In my case, the quarantine process served for this. If you don't have a 2nd tank for this and you have a large enough sump with lighting, that may suffice. I would not leave a CB in an acclimation box for long, as their natural desire to hunt the reef would work against you in a sterile, empty acclimation box.

A CB is a wonderful fish and mine certainly is my favorite in my DT, as they have a great personality! Just do yourself and the fish a favor, and don't buy one without knowing that it will eat from the water column!!!!

Good luck!!

 

[Rocks reef]

I use an acclimation box but only when adding them from observation. I would be afraid it may cause extra stress keeping it in one to train but I'm really not sure. One large enough might work. It may very well be fine added to the DT it just depends on the indivisible fish and tank mates. With all my tangs I didn't think one not already conditioned to eat what I feed would stand a chance. Sump could work too. One important thing is trying to find a nice healthy specimen that isn't skinny/malnourished dor the start. They need to have some meat on them in case it takes a while to get them eating.
I use and modified reptile carrier as my acclimation box. I'm not a fan of white PVC so I add some rock to the acclimation box. When I feed the tank I feed the box and all the other fish grab food as it passes through. I think it gives the new guy the illusion it is competing for food which helps build confidence.
My experience is limited to the two so I'm far from an expert. I bought my male knowing it wasn't eating but it was half the price of one eating and i was fairly confident I could train it to eat.

My acclimation box. This was right after I removed the lid and the female swam in and introduced herself.

I recognize that mushroom rock!!

 

[wesamazmy]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been going back and forth on adding a Copperband Butterflyfish to my 4ft (120g) mixed reef and wanted to get some real-world feedback before I commit.

Current stocking is fairly peaceful but active:

• 2 Ocellaris Clowns
• 2 Skunk Clowns
• 4 Green Chromis
• Golden Angelfish
• Yellow Watchman Goby
• Yellow Coris Wrasse
• Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse
• 2 Banggai Cardinals
• Yellow Tang and Blue Hippo
• Planning to add a Leopard Wrasse soon

So, the tank definitely has some competition when it comes to feeding, which is my biggest concern.

I love Copperbands and the idea of having one as a bit of a centerpiece fish, but I keep hearing mixed things about how difficult they can be—especially with getting them to eat consistently. I’d hate to get one and not be able to meet its needs long-term.

For those of you with experience:

• How hard was it to get your Copperband eating in a tank with other active feeders?
• What foods worked best (live blackworms, frozen mysis, clams, etc.)?
• Did it eventually take prepared foods or always require special feeding?
• Any issues with it being outcompeted by wrasses/tangs?
• Did yours bother any corals, feather dusters, or inverts?

Also, when picking one out:

• What are the biggest signs of a healthy vs. risky specimen?

And if it didn’t work out for you, I’d really appreciate hearing what happened so I can avoid making the same mistakes.

I’m really tempted to try one, but I want to go in prepared (or be talked out of it if it’s a bad fit for this setup).

Thanks!

Read this article https://reefamorous.com/blogs/species-spotlight/copperband-butterflyfish-care-guide

 

[Paul B]

• How hard was it to get your Copperband eating in a tank with other active feeders?
• What foods worked best (live blackworms, frozen mysis, clams, etc.)?
• Did it eventually take prepared foods or always require special feeding?
• Any issues with it being outcompeted by wrasses/tangs?
• Did yours bother any corals, feather dusters, or inverts?

I have almost always had a copperband in my tank since the early 70s. I also followed them in the sea in the South Pacific where they eat small "living" creatures like fish fry and worms.

I never had any problems with them and they live over 10 years but are large feeders. Their tiny mouths make that difficult but the best food for them is live worms like white worms. I use whiteworms that I grow because they live 5 days in salt water and blackworms live about 10 seconds.

I also feed them tiny pieces of clam that I get live, freeze and shave off paper thin slices. I always see it eat in the store and if it is not eating, I don't buy it as many of them are probably collected using cyanide and those fish look great, but will not live long.



I never had one bother corals or other fish but small copperbands can be bullied by other fish.

I would not quarantine or medicate one, but I would not do that to any fish and I would only feed it fresh, "meaty" foods. No dry foods and it probably wouldn't eat that anyway. I wouldn't.

 

[Bucrob]

Read this article https://reefamorous.com/blogs/species-spotlight/copperband-butterflyfish-care-guide

A little late but thanks. I ended up deciding to get one in I believe late April. That one unfortunately passed after my yellow tang killed it but the next one I put the yellow tang in the sump and he’s been going strong since. I’ve gotten him eating pellets and everything. I’m honestly shocked with how well this one is doing, I recently got ich in that tank he’s in and he has been the only one to not show a single sign of it. No white spots, no flashing, still eating perfectly fine and everything. I’ll upload a video of feeding time here in a moment once I get it from YouTube.

 

[Bucrob]