Talk me in/out copperband addition.

[OutColdCRNA]

Try cutting up the clam into tiny pieces, mix in some mysis , smear it on a rock pushing it into the crevices, put the rock in the freezer to set up then put it back in the tank. That's how I get picky butterflies to eat. My CBB also goes crazy for live black worms. Good luck.

I may give that a try with the rock in the freezer!

 

[jtf74]

I may give that a try with the rock in the freezer!

Live worms are your best bet. I ordered a bunch of black worms from eastern aquatics. The movement is hard to resist. Mine loved both black and white.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

I was hoping to avoid ordering but I think I’m stuck now. How are they supplied and how long do they stay alive?

 

[jtf74]

I was hoping to avoid ordering but I think I’m stuck now. How are they supplied and how long do they stay alive?

I think i got the 1/4 lb for $35. The say refrigerate but mine lasted for a couple months in a 10 gallon in a little cold fresh water with an airstone. I fed spirulina to the worms, changed water every couple days. Pretty easy, but they do smell awful and you'll want to rinse them. I fed cbb until they were gone and it fattened him up. Mine was immediately attracted to the worms while refusing frozen mysis, brine, bloodworms, butterfly/angel mix and live or shredded clams for the first few days.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

I think i got the 1/4 lb for $35. The say refrigerate but mine lasted for a couple months in a 10 gallon in a little cold fresh water with an airstone. I fed spirulina to the worms, changed water every couple days. Pretty easy, but they do smell awful and you'll want to rinse them. I fed cbb until they were gone and it fattened him up. Mine was immediately attracted to the worms while refusing frozen mysis, brine, bloodworms, butterfly/angel mix and live or shredded clams for the first few days.

Did yours eventually convert to frozen?

 

[jtf74]

Did yours eventually convert to frozen?

In 3-4 days it ate the frozen mysis only along with the worms I mixed in and after the worms were gone it would eat mysis,clam, aiptaisa, most any meaty seafood.

 

[OrionN]

I did not have to use worms. Mine eat frozen right away. I asked the LFS to feed her and she was eating aggressively at the LFS. I guess I got it easy this time.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Well, two and a half weeks and my CBB finally perished. Never ate, never really picked either. I was in contact with Dr. Reef every few days and he issued me a store credit. I don’t know that I have the stomach to try again. Any other fish suggestions for my store credit?

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Thinking about the potential for changing it up for a long nose butterfly?

 

[OrionN]

I am sorry about your CBB
My small female is doing well. Last Friday I got a larger male from Austin Aqua-Dome. He is doing well I got him into the tank at 3AM on Saturday. I was too tired to set up isolation. I told myself to separate them if Sat AM I see any fighting. No significant fighting so I just leave them together. He is not eating well yet but takes a few bites and picking at the rock and sand.
I hope he will start eating well soon.
I am very confident in able to sex CBB in person at this time. It actually very easy to pair CBB
Better luck next time.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Well, two and a half weeks and my CBB finally perished. Never ate, never really picked either. I was in contact with Dr. Reef every few days and he issued me a store credit. I don’t know that I have the stomach to try again. Any other fish suggestions for my store credit?

Sorry to hear that. I’m in the same boat with my dream fish… a blonde nasso. I’ve tried to qt one that looked fantastic and half way through it perished. Then I tried to buy one through a reputable qt guy and he has lost two in a row. I just don’t think I want to keep trying.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I am sorry about your CBB
My small female is doing well. Last Friday I got a larger male from Austin Aqua-Dome. He is doing well I got him into the tank at 3AM on Saturday. I was too tired to set up isolation. I told myself to separate them if Sat AM I see any fighting. No significant fighting so I just leave them together. He is not eating well yet but takes a few bites and picking at the rock and sand.
I hope he will start eating well soon.
I am very confident in able to sex CBB in person at this time. It actually very easy to pair CBB
Better luck next time.

How can you sex them? I have one but have no idea if it’s male or female

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Sorry to hear that. I’m in the same boat with my dream fish… a blonde nasso. I’ve tried to qt one that looked fantastic and half way through it perished. Then I tried to buy one through a reputable qt guy and he has lost two in a row. I just don’t think I want to keep trying.

Disheartening to say the least. But, at least I can say that I tried every tip, trick and food that has been known to work. So it’s just luck of the draw. I hear the long nose butterfly’s are easier to get eating. So I’m thinking of giving them a try!

 

[OrionN]

How can you sex them? I have one but have no idea if it’s male or female

Please this thread on my adventures trying to get a pair of CBB.

Sexual dimorphism identification of Chelmon rostratus, the Copperband Butterfly,

From the horse mouth, people who successfully pair, breed and raised Copperband Butterflies Jirayuth Ruensirikul, Mavit Assava-aree, Atra Chaimongkol, Sirawan Bunchai, and Khwantana Ongart of Coastal Aquaculture Research Institute and Nakhonsithammarat Coastal Fisheries Research and Development...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[jtf74]

Thinking about the potential for changing it up for a long nose butterfly?

I've had good luck with those. Cool fish highly recommend for easier to keep butterfly.

 

[jtf74]

Disheartening to say the least. But, at least I can say that I tried every tip, trick and food that has been known to work. So it’s just luck of the draw. I hear the long nose butterfly’s are easier to get eating. So I’m thinking of giving them a try!

Did you ever try live worms?

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Did you ever try live worms?

I did, found someone local who had some. Still no interest.

 

[jtf74]

I did, found someone local who had some. Still no interest.

Thats too bad. I have both cbb and yellow longnose. My cbb had been in the lfs for a while. I bought it during covid when no one was going anywhere. Probably a fish best seen before buying. I ordered the yellow online from liveaqauria. It ate frozen mysis immediately. It was a replacement for one they sent that had a giant lympho chunk like i never saw before on arrival. That one ate immediately too and the lympho disappeared in a month and I rehomed it since I had two. Very friendly fish and mine shoots water at you when its time to eat.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Thats too bad. I have both cbb and yellow longnose. My cbb had been in the lfs for a while. I bought it during covid when no one was going anywhere. Probably a fish best seen before buying. I ordered the yellow online from liveaqauria. It ate frozen mysis immediately. It was a replacement for one they sent that had a giant lympho chunk like i never saw before on arrival. That one ate immediately too and the lympho disappeared in a month and I rehomed it since I had two. Very friendly fish and mine shoots water at you when its time to eat.

Good to hear! I do think that’s what I’m going to do with the credit I got back from Dr. Reef.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

So after the struggle with the copperband a while ago. I decided to go with the long nose butterfly. Dr. Reef was happy to oblige. Received the new specimen today. The long nose has been hunting on the rocks in my spare tank. Maybe pecked a little mysis and brine. Has been in the tank for about 4 hours as of now. Looks larger than I expected. Will keep this thread updated so hopefully others can use it as a learning tool!