Changing Copperband butterfly eating habits

[Exotic_Reefer0]

I have a copperband butterfly that only eats Mollusks and clams from the shell. I'm trying to get him to eat frozen clam cubes, or just anything frozen. I'm glad he's eating in general and he's super healthy. Any tips?

Ps. I have tried not feeding him, then feeding brine shrimp. He gets excited, but doesn't recognize the floating food as food

 

[landlubber]

no experience in this but it'd seem logical just to thaw some frozen mysis and include it in the shell with the clam. it may not happen immediately but chances are it'll adapt and recognize it as food too

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

How long have you had it?

I'm going to assume the other fish in your tank are eating the mysis/brine offered?

Your CBB may take some time to pick up this new feeding pattern. Mine took about a week to recognize some food types from the other fish, and still won't take some.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a copperband butterfly that only eats Mollusks and clams from the shell. I'm trying to get him to eat frozen clam cubes, or just anything frozen. I'm glad he's eating in general and he's super healthy. Any tips?

Ps. I have tried not feeding him, then feeding brine shrimp. He gets excited, but doesn't recognize the floating food as food

View attachment 2931818 View attachment 2931819

My CBB's favorite from day 1 is LRS Herbivore diet . It should also eat:
live and Frozen blackworm
mysis shrimp
chopped krill
Plankton

 

[Exotic_Reefer0]

How long have you had it?

I'm going to assume the other fish in your tank are eating the mysis/brine offered?

Your CBB may take some time to pick up this new feeding pattern. Mine took about a week to recognize some food types from the other fish, and still won't take some.

Ehhh like 4-5 months already lol. But just trying to see if it's possible to get him switched over. More of a convenience thing. If he doesn't make the switch then no biggie

 

[Exotic_Reefer0]

My CBB's favorite from day 1 is LRS Herbivore diet . It should also eat:
live and Frozen blackworm
mysis shrimp
chopped krill
Plankton

I'll give this a shot too! My local fish has this I believe

 

[Tamberav]

Ehhh like 4-5 months already lol. But just trying to see if it's possible to get him switched over. More of a convenience thing. If he doesn't make the switch then no biggie

I take a chunk of LRS fish frenzy and put it in one of those plastic feeding pouches. It lets the Copperband eat by picking at something stationary still while letting me offer prepared foods.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I would highly suggest frozen blood worms. Even though this is not a marine food. there is not a good source of marine worms and I find that many butterflies will eat bloodworms before any other food.

 

[OrionN]

If your CBB is eating well and fat, he will be hungry but won’t die of starvation if you don’t feed him for a day or two. Skip his food for 1 day and feed him whatever frozen food you like for him to eat. He will get very hungry and will attempt to eat what ever you feed as long as it is near his natural food.

 

[Spicoli]

Same boat. I'm going on a 2 week vacation in 4 months and I have that amount of time to get my CBB eating flakes and pellets or any kind. He is one month in my tank and eats LRS/Clams/Mysis. Frozen food everyday is a bridge too far for the person covering my tank while I'm gone.

I've begun trying to tempt him when most hungry, and he looks at flakes and pellets so far, that is it. I might have to hire my LFS to come by while I'm gone if he persists.

 

[MPS]

I just mentioned this in a similar post so I’ll summarize it here. You could try turning off all flow, then put the thawed, frozen food in the empty clam shell or in the rocks that it picks at, using a turkey baster. Mine quickly started eating frozen once I introduced it along side the live pods it was eating previously. Once that happens, mine quickly learned to eat from the water column. I use a mixture of mysis shrimp and LRS fish frenzy. In the beginning an added Selcon and garlic to enhance and supplement.
I hope this works for you too.