HELP: The nightmare of making a copperband to eat.

[johnbr]

Hey Guys,

After waiting a hole year to put my hands on a copperband butterfly like many here I'm having trouble making this guy to eat.

So I've tried so far:

Got some pieces of rock, drilled some holes and kinda putted frozen mysis in the holes (no success)
Tried open a fresh clam shell (also no success)

The fish is pretty active and swimming all over the tank.

I've heard that many folks succeeded with live black worms. The thing is WHERE (lol) can I find this things?

I've call every fish store here in Orlando and even Live Bait and they don't carry them. They always say to try frozen blood worms.

Any help please?

 

[madweazl]

Have you tried a whole littleneck clam? I thaw them for about an hour, rinse under tap water, and toss it in there; all the fish enjoy picking at it.

 

[johnbr]

Have you tried a whole littleneck clam? I thaw them for about an hour, rinse under tap water, and toss it in there; all the fish enjoy picking at it.

Thanks for your reply.

Actually no I didn't. I mean I bought frozen clams but is just half shelf with exposed meat.

Where can I buy these?

 

[Maritimer]

You can often get them live from the seafood department of your local market.

~Bruce

 

[cracker]

Fresh clam has worked for me. even the big chowder clams . I freeze 1st thaw about 1/2, smash the shell with a hammer enough the Copper band can fit that long beak. This mimics natural feeding habits. Slows down other fish from eating it all 1st. Remember these fish are fairly delicate ,so if one won't eat it was most likely too far gone to help when You got it. I "think the key to long life is feeding a "wide" variety of fresh meaty seafood from the Sea. Now you can fresh & freeze. The wider variety the better . They love shrimp heads, Oyster, clam ,Roe etc . whole chopped silver sides , just about anything ! Your in Orlando right? There are surely good fresh seafood markets,

 

[Bob Loblaw]

May want to give LRS a try. My CBB goes into a frenzy when it hits the water.

 

[Eva Rose]

Agree they love to pick at clams! It will likely pick, swim away and return and pick more. I would try the various above suggestions first.

Later once you find his favorites, I have seen ppl mix a little (example: clam ) with thawed frozen food (like LRS Reef Frenzy). Make a a slurry in a ramekin with a little tank water. Use a turkey baster and very gently blow tiny bits of the slurry. The other fish respond and the CBB will be interested. Blow bits of the slurry gently. Don’t blast it, the CBB will have to get used to it. If he is shy of the other fish, blow some at one end of the tank. While the other fish chase the bits, gently blow a tiny bit on the CBB’s side.

If he shows no interest in the clam or other above offerings, you can order the live black worms. The wriggling stimulates their natural instinct. I have seen them offered @ www.aquaticfoods.com.

 

[4FordFamily]

Live blackworms can be found online, there are a couple sources you can find on google that ship them. Get the keeper

 

[johnbr]

Fresh clam has worked for me. even the big chowder clams . I freeze 1st thaw about 1/2, smash the shell with a hammer enough the Copper band can fit that long beak. This mimics natural feeding habits. Slows down other fish from eating it all 1st. Remember these fish are fairly delicate ,so if one won't eat it was most likely too far gone to help when You got it. I "think the key to long life is feeding a "wide" variety of fresh meaty seafood from the Sea. Now you can fresh & freeze. The wider variety the better . They love shrimp heads, Oyster, clam ,Roe etc . whole chopped silver sides , just about anything ! Your in Orlando right? There are surely good fresh seafood markets,

So I just have to go to a Local supermarket and ask for like 5 fresh clams? It might sound stupid but could you tell exactly how should I say to the guy at the supermarket?

May want to give LRS a try. My CBB goes into a frenzy when it hits the water.

I've tried before in my tank when I didn't have the copperband. I gonna buy it again and try.

Agree they love to pick at clams! It will likely pick, swim away and return and pick more. I would try the various above suggestions first.

Later once you find his favorites, I have seen ppl mix a little (example: clam ) with thawed frozen food (like LRS Reef Frenzy). Make a a slurry in a ramekin with a little tank water. Use a turkey baster and very gently blow tiny bits of the slurry. The other fish respond and the CBB will be interested. Blow bits of the slurry gently. Don’t blast it, the CBB will have to get used to it. If he is shy of the other fish, blow some at one end of the tank. While the other fish chase the bits, gently blow a tiny bit on the CBB’s side.

If he shows no interest in the clam or other above offerings, you can order the live black worms. The wriggling stimulates their natural instinct. I have seen them offered @ www.aquaticfoods.com.

Just their website.

Is there any difference on feeding live vs dry frozen worms

 

[OrionN]

The supermarket have frozen clams on a tray, you can get these or you can get live clams. They are not cheap.
I always get live clams or oyster. Freeze them. Upon put frozen clam in the tank, it slowly thaw out and start to open up. My CBB would have first crack at the frozen clam with her long beak. Once she have her fill and the clam open more, the rest of the fish move in and finish it off.
I have a large tank, and have not feed them clams and oyster for a while. My CBB eat aggressively and picks at the rock and sand all day. She is fat so I know she get enough to eat, both compete with the other fishes for the food I feed the tank, and all the pest anemones, small various worms in my tank.
When I go to the beach, I often collect a bunch of small clams in the sand. These clams bore into the sand as the waves crash ashore. I freeze these and drop a few of them in the tank at times also. She loves these and really eat them up until she seem to bust.

 

[madweazl]

I just buy the bags of frozen littleneck clams and thaw them; I feed one/day and the bag usually runs $15-20 (usually 50 clams per bag). I dont think I've been to a store that didnt carry them (you may want to try purchasing just a couple to see if it will eat them). Our CBB wont eat LRS but goes nuts for the clams (will pick at it as I'm lowering it into the tank).

 

[Eva Rose]

So I just have to go to a Local supermarket and ask for like 5 fresh clams? It might sound stupid but could you tell exactly how should I say to the guy at the supermarket?



I've tried before in my tank when I didn't have the copperband. I gonna buy it again and try.

 

[Eva Rose]

Just the website
It has directions on how to care for live blackworms. As @4FordFamily mentioned order them with a “keeper” if you decide to order. You will have to rinse the worms before feeding them to fish etc. On the website it has 2 links to click on to shop (eBay or Amazon). But you will have to read how to care for them on the site to keep them alive.

Is there any difference on feeding live vs dry frozen worms[/QUOTE]
Live worms can elicit a more natural feeding instinct in a fish that is not eating any other preparations. As I said before the wriggling of live prey triggers the natural instinct.
Bottom Line: Try the easier options 1st like frozen clams or live clams (on the half shell or whole clam cracked). Live blackworms are great but you have to commit more time to their care/prepartion.

 

[4FordFamily]

I just refrigerate my blackworms and rinse once daily it’s pretty easy. With a fish that’s not eating you don’t have much time to wait so I’d order them if it was me.

 

[rainmaker]

I’ve used live brine shrimp from lfs most carry them it will also work

 

[dragonfisher33]

I have had my cbb for 3 weeks now in qt. I have tried clams, frozen food, live black worms, I have not seen it eat at all...even tried garlic

For clams, they are live clams and frozen. I take one out whenever it’s feeding time.

Since it’s been more than 3 weeks, I would assume that it’s eating when I’m not watching but I can’t be sure.

 

[Reefer40b]

Mine caught on to massstick after about a week of seeing the other fish eat it, he will even get in there with big tangs and eat! Know someone with an aptasia problem borrow a rock of it if its in a QT or a rock covered in feather dusters.. mine has clean my whole tank of feather dusters...

 

[BigJohnny]

Hey Guys,

After waiting a hole year to put my hands on a copperband butterfly like many here I'm having trouble making this guy to eat.

So I've tried so far:

Got some pieces of rock, drilled some holes and kinda putted frozen mysis in the holes (no success)
Tried open a fresh clam shell (also no success)

The fish is pretty active and swimming all over the tank.

I've heard that many folks succeeded with live black worms. The thing is WHERE (lol) can I find this things?

I've call every fish store here in Orlando and even Live Bait and they don't carry them. They always say to try frozen blood worms.

Any help please?

This is the best place to get legit live blackworms, the healthy ones. My copperband destroys them, and lrs fish frenzy.

https://www.aquaticfoods.com/LiveBlackwormsM.html

If your copperband wont eat clams or blackworms, it wont eat anything. Mine doesnt do clams.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

Like reefer40b said, I've heard of alot of people having success with masstick.

 

[Talistoria]

If you can try this, mine eat masstick like a pig ! It is still his favorite food after a year in my tank, and he doesn't like to share (but everyone loves it, poor CBB) !
It is by mixing other foods in masstick that I could lead him to eat a great variety of food. Now he is fat.