Copperband Butterflyfish *URGENT HELP*

[Ridwaan98]

I really need help with my Copperband Butterflyfish. I recently purchased it about three days ago. On day one he was not eating, it was only in the evening when I fed it frozen artemia, marine mix, and mussel meat cubes did he eat. On day two; he was eating but it looks like he was not 'fighting for it'. Now it is day three, and he is not eating at all, I have a Picasso triggerfish and Vagabond butterflyfish in it and they are eating perfectly fine, I feel like he is stressed. I really do not know what to feed him now. I feel like I have fed him everything I possibly can. Please help

 

[NatD]

I really need help with my Copperband Butterflyfish. I recently purchased it about three days ago. On day one he was not eating, it was only in the evening when I fed it frozen artemia, marine mix, and mussel meat cubes did he eat. On day two; he was eating but it looks like he was not 'fighting for it'. Now it is day three, and he is not eating at all, I have a Picasso triggerfish and Vagabond butterflyfish in it and they are eating perfectly fine, I feel like he is stressed. I really do not know what to feed him now. I feel like I have fed him everything I possibly can. Please help

Are your other two fish pushy eaters? Have you tried fresh clams on the half shell?
You might end up needing to separate him to get him eating. One of the major benefits of quarantine is a peaceful place to acclimate and eat.

 

[Caseyoidae]

+1 Cbb’s are notoriously tough to get eating.

 

[35ppt]

Agree with above, you could also try a grazing pad or other CBB feeders. You could also offer some live blackworms if they're available localy to you. Does it have plenty of places to hide? Photo of the QT?

 

[Raege]

Best luck I’ve had with CBB is with Masstick mix it up stick to the glass and you can mix in my sis or other frozen food of choice. Best of luck

Masstick Fish Food - Easy Reefs

Watch your fish eat food right off any surface in your tank. Masstick's all natural formula that contains a blend of diverse compounds, providing a balanced diet for all types of marine fish, especially finicky ones. Masstick food can be placed onto your tanks glass and fish can graze and peck...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Scubabum]

I just got 2 through Quarantine. Live Blackworms worked well. Get some Easy Reefs Masstick and mash some frozen and pellets into the mix. Mine are eating just about everything now.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Clams for sure . If a butterfly doesn’t go after a clam on the half shell, then it’s most likely a lost cause.

 

[ThRoewer]

Given that the fish actually ate before and stopped I would be concerned with diseases, assuming you didn't do a proper quarantine.
My experience with Chelmon is that once you get them to eat frozen food they should be good to go and not really bothered too much by other fish given the fact that they generally prefer picking their food off the rocks or ground.

 

[Fish4udog]

Mine started eating aiptasia right after acclamation but eats frozen brine, mysis and plankton. In with a blue morph and a naso ,rest are smaller fish

 

[Silverfish]

LRS will stick to the side of the tank like masti! I’ve used this method to get butterflies to eat.

 

[jy808]

Clams for sure . If a butterfly doesn’t go after a clam on the half shell, then it’s most likely a lost cause.

Does the clam have to be live?

 

[mbmax]

Does the clam have to be live?

It does not have to be live but you could get nice fresh or live ones at many supermarkets .

 

[Dilan Patel]

I always got fresh mussels from Krogers...I got all copperbands to eat frozen when starting them on mussels. they easily go for them.

 

[jy808]

Sounds great. I'll head over to my local store to get some clams. Is it best to slice them into smaller peices or leave it in the shell for it to nibble?

 

[ReefHog]

Eventually you want to get them eating from the water column. But first thing is to just get them eating. You can rubber band half clam onto a rock for him to pick at. Might have to separate from other fish so they don’t eat it all.

 

[Larry L]

Best luck I’ve had with CBB is with Masstick mix it up stick to the glass and you can mix in my sis or other frozen food of choice. Best of luck

Yes, and now they have a pre-mixed version that has a putty-like consistency. Mine went crazy for it. Can stick it to the glass, or if you have an old coral skeleton, stick it into that because that encourages their natural behavior to pick at things.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Best to separate him as the 2 other fish are aggressive eaters. Once you get him to eat all foods(soaked in selcon) well and plump him up, you can try reintroducing him to the tank with the trigger and vagabond. Good luck.

 

[tripdad]

Take a piece of 3/4" pvc pipe about 2" long, drill some 1/4" holes in it, stuff the food inside, cap it with just push on caps. other fish will not be able to get the food but CB will have food available to pick at. If you have any bristleworms in your tank, catch them and make them available, mine love those.