Copperband stuff…

Aidan_823 · Dec 12, 2024

Hi, so a couple weeks ago, I picked up a small Copperband. He was eating in my LFS so I assumed he would be a great fit for my 120. Although, once I added him, first my tangs started going after him (understandable, it ended after a couple days) but then my female clown started to fight him all the time. Because of that, almost every fin on the Copperband is torn, and I haven’t seen him eat since I got him.

Fast forward to today:

I finally watched him eat for the first time since I got him. I had to put him in a basket but at least he’s not dead. I have been giving him any and every food possible. Mysis, clams, krill, actual shrimp, frozen brine, live brine and even bloodworms. For some reason out of all of those, (some I knew he wasn’t going to eat I just wanted something in his stomach) he picked the bloodworms. He might pick at one or two pieces of mysis but he really wants bloodworms.

Is it ok if I use bloodworms in a reef tank? Or should I mix bloodworms and mysis together until he likes mysis more?

One more thing, this may be a stupid question, but could a Copperband jump? I’ve been hearing 14 different things. Google says they can, but I mean… it’s Google.

KrisReef · Dec 12, 2024

Google can't jump either, but they will tell you they can.
Good luck, glad its eating.

Crabby48 · Dec 12, 2024

copperbands tend to love bloodworms. I find if they are stressed from fish or tank isn’t natural setting many won’t eat. In a display they find pods, worms, feather dusters and some will eat small aiptasia wwhile they adjust to eating prepared foods.

argiBK · Dec 12, 2024

Bloodworms are great to start them on the path to eating.

After he’s consistently taking the bloodworms out of the water column, you can start to mix in frozen, and eventually dry, if that’s the goal.