Feeding clams and oysters to copperband?

[ying yang]

This last week ive been mixing it up with sometimes cutting up in very thin pieces and sometimes just throwing clam in tank.

When throw im i noticed copperband always first to it and rips the meat off the shell and it mainly goes for the dark piece,which i prezume is the stomach,also rips,chews,spits out and re chews the white off the clam but notice tends to be a large chunk left uneaten and cuc get it.

Last week been cutting it in thin slices and all gets eaten so this the best way as want fish to eat it all and not cuc eat most as then they maybe not eat algae as much as already getting well fed possibly so will try the slivers off clam more so thanks for advice paul

 

[Paul B]

 

[ying yang]

Very nice fat sturdy fish you got there

 

[Goaway]

That is one messy clam.

 

[Operator Wrasse]

That is the perfect food for a copperband and the main reason people don't have "luck" with them. They don't feed them correctly.

Give them clams in paper thin slices. That is the best food for all fish.

Just an FYI for everyone, CBBs might not recognize clams if it's off the shell. Plus, it's fun to see the predators of shelled animals hunt for them in your tank. Strips of clam is 100x more convenient, though.

 

[Goaway]

Time to buy some clams. Thanks....

 

[Goaway]

I am curious, did anyone else's cbb eat pods off the rocks?

 

[ying yang]

Time to buy some clams. Thanks....

All my fish absolutely love them.for first week or so as i said above i just made sure clam semi open and threw clam in and copperband, coral beauty and silver belly wrasse voraciously ripped it to shreds whilst all my other fish swam around them waiting and cleaning up any loose pieces,so funny to watch as every fish just getting what it can stealing pieces from others mouths or grabbing it before one fish could grab it ha ha.and very interesting to watch the wrasse's behaviour as if it got a big piece it would grab it in his mouth and swipe it against the rocks to make smaller pieces ( like if it had a snail in its mouth and if can imagine it smashing the snail on the rocks to smash snail shell in,exactly like this) but as i said if other fish got even slighest chance to steal it they would ^_^

 

[ying yang]

I am curious, did anyone else's cbb eat pods off the rocks?

Im not entirely sure if eats pods from rocks but mine constantly hunting something from the rocks all day long and especially as tank lights go out for first 30- 60 minutes while ambient light from a table lamp and tv light on but could be worms as i got these small black worms in sand and on rocks ( i presume detritus worms) so could be eating these idk

 

[Goaway]

Because of these cbb threads, I had to get a cbb... she/he is eating pods off the rocks. Also snagged a worm. Not touching my mini feather dusters, yet. Could be due to size. Almost 3 inches.

 

[ying yang]

These are the little tiny worms im guessing copperband is getting from the rocks but he constantly swimming and its like sees any movement and he stops and investigates getting into some right positions upside down,nose up,nose down the lot,very funny to watch and size the worms here a goby with piece clam in his mouth and see size my grains of sand which are very fine ( i would guess 2- 5mm maybe) i have tried googled in last few weeks of copperbands eat pods or not when researching different foods/ ways to geed copperbands but inconclusive tbh from my research if remember correctly,but what i took away from it was if small enough it would eat most things including pods from sand/ rocks

 

[Goaway]

This one likes worms for sure. I did not quarantine the fish. It seems overly delicate. I will see if this causes for issues. Or if everyone stays okay. Right now my foxface is in fear for his life.

 

[Goaway]

I am sure my CBB will adapt. I will call it a he for now. He is actively eating worms, pods and picking on my live mollusk.
Edit: these fish are so beautiful. Photos do not tell the truth on these at all.

 

[ying yang]

Because of these cbb threads, I had to get a cbb... she/he is eating pods off the rocks. Also snagged a worm. Not touching my mini feather dusters, yet. Could be due to size. Almost 3 inches.

Mine from tip of snout- far edge of back caudal fin is about 5- 6 inch so decent size but as fish measurements dont usually include snout and caudal fin and just the actual body itself its 4- 5 inch.
At the lfs when i got it other week was one i got and another 3 inch from tip of snout to edge of caudal fin so much smaller ( which i wanted as didnt want one that possibly neen in someone elses tank and got taste for corals and returned or something like this or just simply they had few years already so less time i would have due to age etc) but the smaller fish was mainly at surface of water swimming into the flow from return nozzle so red flags raised so choose bigger fish from different tank/ system .
But as im new to saltwater in general and copperbands,Any info you get would ne gratefully received

 

[Goaway]

I was always scared of getting a CBB. You made the right choice. The fish at the top of the water was probably infected with velvet. Or gill flukes.

I am not trying to take over your thread. But hopefully we can share information on keeping these guys actively eating. I am hopeful after seeing Paul B. posting videos on his along with information from operator wrasse. I don't want mine to get a taste for coral. We will see.

 

[ying yang]

Ive been doing lots research on these copperbands for last 1 month and especially last 2 weeks since got him and read they more prone to lympho than some other fishes and what some believed was or looked like ich and the such turned out be lympho coming and going occasionally but mainly when first introduced to dt but like any fish if keep well fed and healthy doesnt flare up as much.but will let you research that for yourself and decide but just thought id say what ive read on many threads on r2r and other forums

 

[Goaway]

Lymp is very common on tangs and angelfish in aquaria, I would imagine to help a cbb proper diet is key to keeping them healthy. Because with healthy diets it goes away very quick. I will watch out for that. I am going to hunt for a variety of diet for him a little later. I am watching him eat food off of the live rocks and grazing on the mollusk. I don't think they will live for much longer now, sadly.

 

[ying yang]

Yeah no worries, this isn't my thread, its everyones in community as a whole if we can all learn and help each other.even someone in a year or 2 if search then happy days if means someone is more successfull with this beautifull fish or even something like fish swimming at surface into current then can help someone new or remind an experienced reefer etc ^_^

 

[Goaway]

Very beautiful fish. My fish held a meeting after introduction of cbb. I don't know what is wrong with them..

 

[ying yang]

So far i only tried the clams and a fresh oyster ( which im pretty sure i should frozen first then defrosted then fed it to tank) cant remember exactly why but think was an article by paul b or someone else and to do with whats done to it after its caught to preserve it .well as i say cant remember exactly what so will refrain from guessing more until got correct info incase someone reads thinking it true when i maybe remember wrongly.but i do know paul b wrote a article for a magazine about them and some general good information in it.im just walking home at moment so may try google it when get in.
But over coming days/weeks i will be trying other shell creatures and give it more variety and defo after holiday if allowed to go finally start the white worm culture pffft