What are you doing for a CBB

[EliMelly]

Easiest way to make it work is get one from @Dr. Reef . He makes sure they’re eating before and has a great guarantee. Then regular Mysis is great!

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Easiest way to make it work is get one from @Dr. Reef . He makes sure they’re eating before and has a great guarantee. Then regular Mysis is great!

I didnt know he made sure they ate! He really does a good job

 

[Nate Chalk]

So, a copperband is a favprite of many, including myself. The problem with being a responsible reef keeper is stepping back and saying I cant keep one with my work schedule.
The hopeful reefer, comes to R2R and says "What are you fine folks with copperbands AND busy schedules doing to make it work for you?" In hopes theres tips and tricks for keeping these fish when you cant be home all day doing small frequent feedings. My wife, whom is a wonderful sport, said she could put a clam or a block of food into the tank in the mornings (easier the better, prep-able the night before is a bonus) and i feed frozen each night. I have a auto feeder dumping pellets in but obviously... its a copperband. Thanks!

Mine eats pods and other live things on the rockwork. I feed 2x a day.

My display is 180g and I have a 13g display refugium and a 100g sump that also has a refugium in it.

 

[Amstar]

I had one that was eating at the fish store - got it home and it just doesn’t seem to care for the mysis or brine shrimp floating in the water column in my DT


The tank also is feed three times a day via an avast plank that has freeze dried copepods, mysis, krill, brine shrimp, algae pellets etc - so hard to see if it’s eating that when I’m at work


I have ordered some white works and will look to feed those - I do see if picking at the rocks - and if swims all over the place - fingers crossed it’s finding enough pods and then the white worms will help

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I had one that was eating at the fish store - got it home and it just doesn’t seem to care for the mysis or brine shrimp floating in the water column in my DT


The tank also is feed three times a day via an avast plank that has freeze dried copepods, mysis, krill, brine shrimp, algae pellets etc - so hard to see if it’s eating that when I’m at work


I have ordered some white works and will look to feed those - I do see if picking at the rocks - and if swims all over the place - fingers crossed it’s finding enough pods and then the white worms will help

I got a buddy shipping me a starter colony in a few weeks! Should help tremendously i would think. At least to prolong them while training to eat. Gonna get a 20g "training tank" setup as well!

 

[reely989]

Mine eats pods and other live things on the rockwork. I feed 2x a day.

My display is 180g and I have a 13g display refugium and a 100g sump that also has a refugium in it.

How does your red Coris do? They are so cool but people talk like they turn over rocks and corals a lot

 

[Nate Chalk]

How does your red Coris do? They are so cool but people talk like they turn over rocks and corals a lot

100% will do this. Just flip the corals back over.

They are hunting

It's cool to watch

 

[legionofdoon]

Like many new additions, they all can be slow feeding at first.

Mine fed at the store, PE mysis, a larger food item.
The store sent me home with PE mysis.

Day one on observation was no eat.
Day two was 1-2 mysis.
Day three around 5.
By weeks end was feeding aggressively.

Transferred following week to DT.
All Aptasia gone in 30 days.

No feeding or aggression issues and I have several large tangs.

My scariest addition turned out to be the easiest.






First pic Observation Tank where it’s easier to control, second is in the DT.

How long did it take for him to start eating aptasia? I've had mine for two weeks and haven't noticed any difference in the aptasia but he loves mysis.

 

[Uncle99]

It’s a slow start. Say 3-4 weeks, then, gone fast.
I was convinced this was not going to work.
I identified three Aptasia, easy to see and every day, checked them.
Somewhere around 3 weeks, one went missing.
Then a few days later, the other two.
Once he started, he cleared the tank fast. Say 30 days….
It’s been 8 months, not an Aptasia seen in since cleared.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

It’s a slow start. Say 3-4 weeks, then, gone fast.
I was convinced this was not going to work.
I identified three Aptasia, easy to see and every day, checked them.
Somewhere around 3 weeks, one went missing.
Then a few days later, the other two.
Once he started, he cleared the tank fast. Say 30 days….
It’s been 8 months, not an Aptasia seen in since cleared.

I actually forgot they sometimes eat aptasia. I got a few interesting the tank currently. Added bonus. Now I need a CBB!

 

[Uncle99]

I got a buddy shipping me a starter colony in a few weeks! Should help tremendously i would think. At least to prolong them while training to eat. Gonna get a 20g "training tank" setup as well!

Excellent idea.
Easier to work with until ready.

 

[Rocks reef]

I have been keeping Copperbands since the 70s and feed my fish once a day and sometimes not even every day.
They get no special treatment and are one of my favorite fish.
This guy lived for 10 years.

I give my fish chopped clams, live white worms, frozen mysis or commercial frozen foods.

I was waiting for you to pop in Paul! It's always good to read your comments. Those of us who follow your thread know that you definitely keep it simple and your success speaks for itself.

 

[rhitee93]

It’s a slow start. Say 3-4 weeks, then, gone fast.
I was convinced this was not going to work.
I identified three Aptasia, easy to see and every day, checked them.
Somewhere around 3 weeks, one went missing.
Then a few days later, the other two.
Once he started, he cleared the tank fast. Say 30 days….
It’s been 8 months, not an Aptasia seen in since cleared.

My experience was similar. Not much happened for a couple of weeks, and then I saw a rapid decline in aiptasia.

The CBB was easing mysis greedily for a month before going into the DT. Now it mixes it up with my much larger fish to get its share of the food.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I have been keeping Copperbands since the 70s and feed my fish once a day and sometimes not even every day.
They get no special treatment and are one of my favorite fish.
This guy lived for 10 years.

I give my fish chopped clams, live white worms, frozen mysis or commercial frozen foods.

Im right there with you on the feeding, Paul. Mine doesn't get any special treatment. Because it's housed in my predator tank, it gets a variety of meaty foods as well as SFBB Carnivore Cuisine and live clams. Occasionally I will also pop a rock in from another tank thats covered in aiptasia and it's clear in a matter of days.
Dr. No quickly became one of my favorites to watch hunt, along with my red coris.

Edit to show off photo

 

[Paul B]

Those of us who follow your thread know that you definitely keep it simple

Thats because I am a simple kind of guy.

OrchidMiss, I am sure your copperband loves you. She looks very happy.

 

[Damage12]

I kept a CBB that I had for about 7-8 years. Fed once in morning and once at night. Never had an issue with him and he was fat like the rest of my fish.

 

[JoJosReef]

@Nor'easter Reefer if your wife is happy to pitch in, maybe she can load a cube of mysis into the CBB feeder during the day and you can add the other food (white worms, carnivore cuisine, black worms, etc) in the evening when you return?

 

[Nordy]

Something like this for white worms work for copperbands? I never done this approach.

 

[Nordy]

I have a worm composter for red wigglers, but I’m hesitant to use my food scrap eaters for a food source. Last time I had to fix a busted sprinkler in the yard, man did I find some worms. Exnisstech, you find worms and feed them? I’ve read about others using earthworms on the forum. My 7 year old might not let me, she always finds worms interesting and will care for them before setting them free. If yard worms are good for the saltwater fishies, just keep it between us, but I’ve always held onto the suspicion that terrestrial food items are not meant for the marine ecosystem, and stick to there naturalized food sources.

 

[Paul B]

Something like this for white worms work for copperbands? I never done this approach.

Those worms are one of the best foods for copperbands and all your fish. I also feed earthworms, especially to fish that need larger food like these guys.