CBB was eating at the store but...

[catfisher]

I got a Copperband Butterfly yesterday and saw it eat mysis before I bought it. I've tried giving it live blackworms, mysis, and clams on a half shell. Shows zero interest in any of these. He just swims in the same spot for hours. Doesn't even look for food(I have tons of feather dusters). None of the other fish are bothering him at all.

Is this normal for a new CBB or should I be worried?

Anything I can try to get him to eat?

[DanEnglish]

How long has it been?

[catfisher]

How long has it been?

About 24 hours.

[Dr Colliebreath]

I wouldn't worry yet as these fish can take days to start eating. Just keep giving it live blackworms and mysis in little bits every six hours or so. I wouldn't worry for at last 5 days.

These fish normally aren't aggressive eaters and acclimate better in a quarantine tank. Try using a turkey baster to squirt the food near the cbb.

[chasekwe]

I had a DD specimen come in, it didn't eat for 4 days. Just paced the back wall of the tank, or up and down in a corner.

Clams on the half shell were what finally worked. After I got it eating clams it took another week to get it to eat anything else, but after that it ate everything.

[catfisher]

I had a DD specimen come in, it didn't eat for 4 days. Just paced the back wall of the tank, or up and down in a corner.

Clams on the half shell were what finally worked. After I got it eating clams it took another week to get it to eat anything else, but after that it ate everything.

Right now mine is hiding under my overflow box almost swimming sideways in the same spot...

[nonimmigrant]

normal depending on its new neighbors. i always introduce chemlons in a acclimation box before releasing them to the DT. they become very easily stressed if just placed in up front and can go some time without eating.

[Lorenz725]

My potters took 3 weeks to start eating frozen food. He would just pick at the rocks I put in the QT with him. Give it time hope it works out they are really cool fish!

[Hal]

Clams on the half shell were what finally worked. After I got it eating clams it took another week to get it to eat anything else, but after that it ate everything.
How do you feed the clams? Just drop them in? Do you score the clam's meat with a knife or anything.

[chasekwe]

Yes, I just dropped them in. Then I flipped them if they landed upside-down, which didn't usually happen. At first I did rip them up a bit with a knife. Later it became unnecessary as the CBB was already tearing into it before it hit the bottom.


He would usually take turns with the cleaner shrimps, nobody else really went after the clams. They were very messy though, so as soon as he started eating other things I started saving the clams for a once a week sort of treat.

By the way, I switched him to the other foods with mysis first, I'd jam some in the cuts I'd made in the clam flesh and then they'd just float out like the clam pieces as the CBB and shrimp tore into the clam. He'd eat them just like the clam debris and eventually he started eating them out of the water column when dumped in with the regular foods. After he figured out the mysis he began eating the rest of the frozen from the water column, though he always preferred mysis most. (aside from the clams, of course)


This whole process took less than 2 weeks, btw. But I do attribute my success to him being a healthy DD specimen.

[catfisher]

Sad to say, I don't think my CBB is going to make it. He looked fine this morning but when I came home a few hours later he was caught in my Koralia powerhead. He just seems really weak...and has been laying on the bottom since I released him from the powerhead.

:(

[Dr Colliebreath]

Unfortunately, this is the fate of many cbbs. They are damaged in collection or handling/transport and die shortly after you get them home frequently a few days, and sometimes up to 30 days or a bit more).

If buying from a lfs, you need to make sure it is really eating and not just picking at a couple of mysis and even spitting some back out.

Your best bet is to get one from one of the very high quality sources such as LA or DD or a lfs that buys from Quality Marine.

[catfisher]

Unfortunately, this is the fate of many cbbs. They are damaged in collection or handling/transport and die shortly after you get them home frequently a few days, and sometimes up to 30 days or a bit more).

If buying from a lfs, you need to make sure it is really eating and not just picking at a couple of mysis and even spitting some back out.

Your best bet is to get one from one of the very high quality sources such as LA or DD or a lfs that buys from Quality Marine.
Thanks for everyone's help. It always sucks losing a fish, specially one that I had researched so much before buying. I've had pretty good success with fish from this LFS but I certainly won't be buying a CBB from them again.

DD is Divers Den? LA?

[george915]

DD is Divers Den? LA?

Live Aquaria

[Daniel Reef]

Yes, I just dropped them in. Then I flipped them if they landed upside-down, which didn't usually happen. At first I did rip them up a bit with a knife. Later it became unnecessary as the CBB was already tearing into it before it hit the bottom.


He would usually take turns with the cleaner shrimps, nobody else really went after the clams. They were very messy though, so as soon as he started eating other things I started saving the clams for a once a week sort of treat.

By the way, I switched him to the other foods with mysis first, I'd jam some in the cuts I'd made in the clam flesh and then they'd just float out like the clam pieces as the CBB and shrimp tore into the clam. He'd eat them just like the clam debris and eventually he started eating them out of the water column when dumped in with the regular foods. After he figured out the mysis he began eating the rest of the frozen from the water column, though he always preferred mysis most. (aside from the clams, of course)


This whole process took less than 2 weeks, btw. But I do attribute my success to him being a healthy DD specimen.
Thanks. I have read about clams but this is the first time, I've read some details and this helped a lot.

[Dr Colliebreath]

If you are willing to spend the money ($130), the CBBs from Australia seem to do pretty well. They may just be handled better from collection to shipping. DD offers them from time to time. I have an Aus cbb from DD and it is doing well. I have had it around 6 months.

[reef boy]

I'm am very sorry for your loss:( I tried a cbb last year and only lasted like a week:(
I bought from my lfs and he was eating like crazy then, but when he got home he ate then spit it out. about a week later after not eating anything we couldn't find him anywhere. He was probaly my favorite fish :(
I get very depressed when my fish die. Again I am deepley sorry for your loss.

ps: I have a picture of him on my phone and he's rite there with me every day.

[Hal]

FWIW, I've had 2 CBB's that each lived for more than a year in my tank. One died during a tank transfer and one during a tank crash situation. I've had 3 die in my QT. The 2 that were around for awhile were both larger. I'm not sure if that helped, but that's my experience.