Whats your experience keeping copperbands?

[Joe Rice]

I ordered a copperband from my local LFS and requested a small one on the assumption it would be less likely to decimate the amphipods and copepods in my tank. Unfortunately the one they got for me was huge. Within a couple of weeks it had eaten 99% of the aiptasia in my tank and seemed to be doing fine though. I was feeding Larry Reef Frenzy frozen food once a day and pellet food once a day. The food always seemed to get its attention but I never saw it eating out of the water column. I sensed it was getting skinnier so I bought some live black worms and the copperband ate them eagerly. Then I threw in some of the frozen food at the same time and he started eating that out of the water column as well! Everything seemed to be going fine until I went on a five-day vacation when the tank only got pellet food from the automatic feeder. When I got back the copperband was skinny and lethargic and wouldn't eat any of the frozen food. The next day I was going to drive down to get more blackworms but in the morning I found him dead :( Overall, he lasted five months in my tank.

 

[BPF42]

I agree with one of the other comments that they are “hit or miss.” I have had several over the years. The key in my opinion is to buy one that is aggressively eating in your LFS, and like all fish looks really healthy. My current Copperband was eating aggressively at my my LFS and has done really well since I brought him home about 2 years ago. What I found he liked to eat the most is Easy Reefs Masstick. I feed him by hand or stick the Masstick to the side of the tank. I also made sure the other fish in the tank were not overly aggressive eaters.

 

[JJKK]

I got one at the beginning of November. Saw it eating some frozen mysis at the LFS. Brought it home and place in QT(no meds) for observation and to get the fish to eat. Took about 3 days before it snatches PE mysis and spitting them out. I then got live black worms and it started eating a few of them. Eventual got it to eat frozen mysis consistently along with the black worms.

Now, it will only eat LRS Reef Frenzy or Fish Frenzy, along with live black worms. Have offered and not taken nori, Masstick, any pellets nor flakes. When I go on a week long trip, I let it gorge itself with LRS or black worms,,than I also order few thousand amphipods and copepods for it to hunt and peck while I am gone.

One tip I can provide is that I put my frozen LRS or PE Mysis cube in Two Little Fishes Pouch Feeder. My CBB will go there immediate and is the only one that can peck and take out a chunk from the small holes of the pouch. It does spit out some but gets enough to be well fed for the day. Also, it is also a fish that is actively hunting before the lights come on. So occasionally, I will put a whole frozen cube of PE mysis just for it. Here are a couple of pics and a video:

 

[Prestigereef]

I got one at the beginning of November. Saw it eating some frozen mysis at the LFS. Brought it home and place in QT(no meds) for observation and to get the fish to eat. Took about 3 days before it snatches PE mysis and spitting them out. I then got live black worms and it started eating a few of them. Eventual got it to eat frozen mysis consistently along with the black worms.

Now, it will only eat LRS Reef Frenzy or Fish Frenzy, along with live black worms. Have offered and not taken nori, Masstick, any pellets nor flakes. When I go on a week long trip, I let it gorge itself with LRS or black worms,,than I also order few thousand amphipods and copepods for it to hunt and peck while I am gone.

One tip I can provide is that I put my frozen LRS or PE Mysis cube in Two Little Fishes Pouch Feeder. My CBB will go there immediate and is the only one that can peck and take out a chunk from the small holes of the pouch. It does spit out some but gets enough to be well fed for the day. Also, it is also a fish that is actively hunting before the lights come on. So occasionally, I will put a whole frozen cube of PE mysis just for it. Here are a couple of pics and a video:

Thats some great advice for those that can get them feeding but the fish isnt fast enough to compete with other tank mates yet

 

[vetteguy53081]

Never had an issue and currently have 3 tanks with one in each for Aptasia control. 2 of 3 eat regular food and Mr oddity eats Nori only plus whatever it is he pecks of rocks all day

 

[ChiSox Rabbitfish]

I could never get it to eat properly and it wasted away. Never again for me.

Same even after I did get it to eat it stopped again

 

[Drew in Texas]

Bought one, put it in a QT with a sailfin. Sailfin tried to be a bully, copper would swerve sideways and slash it with its dorsal fin. It also out competed the sailfin for food. Put it in my DT, and within a week I found it sucked up against the return to the sump, dead. I was so sad. It really had become my favorite.

 

[ReefParadox]

Bought mine from live aquaria, had him separated with egg crate for a week in the DT, tried mysis and other frozen and finally found he loved frozen bloodworm cubes. Now I feed a chunk of Rods Fish Food every evening, I hold the frozen chunk a couple inches under the water and he's right in there with my 6 inch tangs getting his fair share. Imho I think they're eyesight is so keen for hunting the rocks that they have trouble singling out food in the water column so I hold the frozen Rods food where he can pick right off of it.The rest of the day he hunts thru the rocks and dodges swipes from the tangs and emperor angel, and when he finds a rogue aphasia it's like he goes psycho! Bye bye aptasia. A beautiful and unique fish to watch, one of my favorites, had him about a year now.