Copperband (2 Viewers)

[Guest]

I want a Copperbanded Butterfly really bad. But Ive heard good and bad stories about them. I do have a 65g reef set up with both sps and lps. Any tips hints? I do have Aptaisia growing as well as Ive heard that they will take cockles and some shrimp as well. Should I just stay away or what?

 

[Guest]

I've been tempted to try one myself, but from what I've read it's a 50/50 shot. Most of them will eat aiptasia, but a lot of them will also pick at corals and clams.

 

[tedu]

I've got one in my 110 that I got from Kenny in June. Helped clean things up nicely and has transitioned to other foods (mysis, etc)...haven't noticed it picking at anything.

Ted

 

[tvu]

I had one temporarily awhile back. It did eat the couple of aptasia I had and also every single fan worm it could get to on my LR. After that it stopped eating and I traded him back to the LFS. This was when I had FOWLR so I don't know how it would've treated the LPS or softies I have now.

 

[lesd]

I'm a big fan of this fish and have kept them in my reef systems for the past few years. To confirm what other people have said, yes, they will eat all of your fanworms.

The ones I've kept have had no interest in aiptasia, however they also have never bothered any of my corals or clams. This includes LPS like Trachyphyllia which seems to be the first coral any fish goes after.

I picked one up from Fishland about a month ago and it is doing great. They absolutely LOVE mysis shrimp - this is the best food to get them started eating.

-- Les

 

[Guest]

i've had a copper band recently. Definately not a picky eater. He died recently of unknown reasons.

 

[Guest]

We had one that ate great on the fan worms and on the bits of aptaisa the Pmints hadn't eaten. He took mysis and didn't pick on any corals but died after us having him for about 3 months.
It was wierd he was swimming normal then it looked like he got zapped and floated up to the top. We don't know what happened.
Michael

 

[Guest]

I've had a copperband in my 180g now for over 4 years now. I got this fish from Keith way back when. It did my fanworm population in but never has offered to bother my sps corals. The only time it nipped at my clams was if I would place them on the sand bed, so as long as the clams are up in the rocks they would be fine.

This copperband is a PE brand mysis shrimp fiend. Give that fish this food and it's happy and has recovered 1 major illness that to this day I don't know what it was. It is a very sweet fish and loves for me to pet it when I'm working in that tank.

This fish is not an aiptasia eater at all.....

 

[Guest]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. Im going to try it and see what happens. I absolutely love the fish so why not.

 

[Guest]

What really needs to be sure of before taking a copperband home is parasites. That is the main reason they do not do well in home aquaria. Over in the MAAST forum, Larry aka Instar is a big copperband expert. Most copperband come in with loads of parasites and he dips his before they go out on display to be sold.

Another main problem is getting them to start eating. They usually are not aiptaisa eaters right off the bat. Some even have no idea what eating prepared food is all about. They are a beautiful fish and need space to swim, all prepared foods must be tried to get the fish to eat within a few hours of being introduced into the reef. Noting they are a hit or miss for nipping clams mantle, polyps of every kind of coral and fanworm decimation.