copperband butterflys in reef tanks

JoeyK@OCMD · 08/30/2006, 05:14 PM

I am thinking about adding some small copperbands to my reef. They are completely new to me. Can anyone share their experiances with me, good or bad. Any advanced info would be great. I have read a bunch of stuff in books and on the web.

wld1783 · 08/30/2006, 07:28 PM

They need lots of pods to eat. They will eat all feather dusters first then they will eat the dreaded aptasia.

I have never seen them bother corals or clams.

Bill

this_reefer · 08/30/2006, 07:49 PM

Yes they are great if you can find one that eats mysid shrimps! I had one until I had a flat worm outbreak and die...all toxins in my tanks causing several of my fishes to die.

But my CB ate all the featherdusters in the tank and quite a bit of the pods. But they are a great addition I think!

Finland · 08/30/2006, 08:28 PM

I agree, they need lots of pods. Mine did a great job cleaning out my aptasia. It picks on the zenias a little, but they spread faster then the copperband eats. It leaves the rest of the corals alone.

marinelife · 08/31/2006, 09:29 AM

I will let you know, I am going to add one in my 180, I hope is does not eat clams.

Finland · 08/31/2006, 09:47 AM

It doesn't touch my clam

TitansFan · 08/31/2006, 10:03 AM

Mine enjoys pods but, he doesnt "need" them. Mine eats frozen and dried foods. As the others said you can kiss featherdusters and fan worms goodbye. He has never bothered any of my coral. For sure a fish you want to see eat at the LFS before you purchase. I love mine and he is the centerpiece of my reef tank. My carpernter wrasses don't bother him nor he they. A friend of mine just lost hers to a newly added powder blue. The tang harrased it and stopped it from feeding. By the time she could get it in a Q tank it was too late. They are a passive fish.

JoeyK@OCMD · 08/31/2006, 11:23 AM

Thanks for the info. I don't have any feather dusters or aptasia, but I do have an over abundence of pods. I think a cb will make a great addition to my tank

Hens4Fish · 08/31/2006, 11:25 AM

I have had a different experience. My copperbanded ate all my spagetti worms and aptasia, then kept pestering the clams until they would not come out anymore. It took them 3 months to start bugging them, but I had to remove him, or let the clams die. I removed him.

Fcataudo · 08/31/2006, 11:43 AM

My Coperbanded ate my open brain coral he left the clams alone. Did do a great job on all aps

cbicop · 08/31/2006, 12:17 PM

I bought one a week ago because I am getting aptasia from my refugium... it is infested in there all throughout the chaeto. I havent seen him eat one aptasia but HE BETTER as I wont feed him.

HDAlien · 08/31/2006, 12:19 PM

I added one about a month and half ago for my rampant aiptasia problem. He's doing well so far, he also feeds along with my other fish, he eats mysis, and brine shrimp. But he is making a dent in my aiptasia problem.

My sailfin badgered him for about a day when I put him in, but now they're best buddies. They are certainly a beautiful addition to a reef tank.

Charles

conefree · 08/31/2006, 12:29 PM

Do you think that there would be an issue if there were a copperband in the same tank as a mandarin, as far as pod abundance and preventing the mandarin from starving? I have a 90 gallon tank and 90+ pounds of live rock and a fuge.

xcreonx · 08/31/2006, 03:02 PM

Mine eats frozen mysis but LOVES little-neck clams from the store. I freeze them and feed one every other day. He tears it apart in minutes. He won't eat anything else... no flakes or pellets. And he's never bothered a coral in the few years I've had him.

He did eat all of the aiptasia and feather dusters in my tank in the first two days he was in there.

FSOL · 08/31/2006, 03:16 PM

Mine was eating bloodworms at the store, so I decided to buy it and just feed it bloodworms. Now in my tank, it won't eat anything, and is getting thinner. I don't see any luck in keeping this guy alive unless I can somehow catch it and throw it in my fuge, where there's lots of pods.
Doesn't bother the featherdusters either.

xcreonx · 08/31/2006, 03:35 PM

Try the live little-neck clams. He should eat them.

Waxxiemann · 08/31/2006, 04:14 PM

I am considering one of these for my little aptasia problem as well. Not only that but they are beautiful fish as well.

xcreonx · 08/31/2006, 04:18 PM

Some eye candy

Achilles

Waxxiemann · 08/31/2006, 04:19 PM

I have had an ich outbreak in my display before and I worry that adding this fish may spell its doom. I haven't seen any sign of ich in my tank for about 2 months. That doesn't mean it's not in there though.

It seems as though every new fish I add (no matter how well I quarentine) has a small breakout for the first few weeks. It usually subsides though I don't know how a fragile fish such as this would fair.

What do you guys think?

Waxxiemann · 08/31/2006, 04:30 PM

.... sorry for hijacking.... seems like the right place to ask.

conefree · 08/31/2006, 04:59 PM

amazing picture xcreonx

JoeyK@OCMD · 08/31/2006, 05:25 PM

are CBs succebtable to black ich as well?

Bono · 08/31/2006, 06:39 PM

I am also thinking of adding a CB but have heard that bigger is better and that smaller ones have a poor success rate. I also noticed, I think on Marinedepot, that they won't guarantee the Smalls only the Med and Large. Anyone with any experience big or small?

marinelife · 08/31/2006, 06:44 PM

I will let you know in a week, I have a small(1.5in) one in my 300 that I have had for a week, I am getting a 4 inch one for my 180 tomorrow

Bono · 08/31/2006, 07:08 PM

Does the small one eat ok? and where did you get him?

08/30/2006, 05:14 PM	#1
JoeyK@OCMD Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 163	copperband butterflys in reef tanks I am thinking about adding some small copperbands to my reef. They are completely new to me. Can anyone share their experiances with me, good or bad. Any advanced info would be great. I have read a bunch of stuff in books and on the web.

08/31/2006, 09:29 AM	#5
marinelife Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Union, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,590	I will let you know, I am going to add one in my 180, I hope is does not eat clams. __________________ I'm a SaltGeek are You? All LED since 2010. Current Tank Info: 375 Gallon Reef with siporax, all LED lighting, and Red Dragon 3 and Abyzz A200 on 2 closed loops.

08/31/2006, 12:19 PM	#12
HDAlien Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 476	I added one about a month and half ago for my rampant aiptasia problem. He's doing well so far, he also feeds along with my other fish, he eats mysis, and brine shrimp. But he is making a dent in my aiptasia problem. My sailfin badgered him for about a day when I put him in, but now they're best buddies. They are certainly a beautiful addition to a reef tank. Charles __________________ ¡ʞuɐʇ ʎɯ ǝʌo1 ı Current Tank Info: 220 gal. reef

08/31/2006, 12:29 PM	#13
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	Do you think that there would be an issue if there were a copperband in the same tank as a mandarin, as far as pod abundance and preventing the mandarin from starving? I have a 90 gallon tank and 90+ pounds of live rock and a fuge. __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down

08/31/2006, 03:02 PM	#14
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	Mine eats frozen mysis but LOVES little-neck clams from the store. I freeze them and feed one every other day. He tears it apart in minutes. He won't eat anything else... no flakes or pellets. And he's never bothered a coral in the few years I've had him. He did eat all of the aiptasia and feather dusters in my tank in the first two days he was in there. __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

08/30/2006, 07:28 PM	#2
wld1783 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Park Ridge Posts: 2,232	They need lots of pods to eat. They will eat all feather dusters first then they will eat the dreaded aptasia. I have never seen them bother corals or clams. Bill

08/30/2006, 07:49 PM	#3
this_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 708	Yes they are great if you can find one that eats mysid shrimps! I had one until I had a flat worm outbreak and die...all toxins in my tanks causing several of my fishes to die. But my CB ate all the featherdusters in the tank and quite a bit of the pods. But they are a great addition I think!

08/30/2006, 08:28 PM	#4
Finland Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 617	I agree, they need lots of pods. Mine did a great job cleaning out my aptasia. It picks on the zenias a little, but they spread faster then the copperband eats. It leaves the rest of the corals alone.

08/31/2006, 09:47 AM	#6
Finland Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 617	It doesn't touch my clam

08/31/2006, 10:03 AM	#7
TitansFan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Spring Hill, TN Posts: 1,364	Mine enjoys pods but, he doesnt "need" them. Mine eats frozen and dried foods. As the others said you can kiss featherdusters and fan worms goodbye. He has never bothered any of my coral. For sure a fish you want to see eat at the LFS before you purchase. I love mine and he is the centerpiece of my reef tank. My carpernter wrasses don't bother him nor he they. A friend of mine just lost hers to a newly added powder blue. The tang harrased it and stopped it from feeding. By the time she could get it in a Q tank it was too late. They are a passive fish.

08/31/2006, 11:23 AM	#8
JoeyK@OCMD Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 163	Thanks for the info. I don't have any feather dusters or aptasia, but I do have an over abundence of pods. I think a cb will make a great addition to my tank

08/31/2006, 11:25 AM	#9
Hens4Fish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oshkosh, Wi Posts: 1,297	I have had a different experience. My copperbanded ate all my spagetti worms and aptasia, then kept pestering the clams until they would not come out anymore. It took them 3 months to start bugging them, but I had to remove him, or let the clams die. I removed him.

08/31/2006, 11:43 AM	#10
Fcataudo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: CT Posts: 467	My Coperbanded ate my open brain coral he left the clams alone. Did do a great job on all aps

08/31/2006, 12:17 PM	#11
cbicop Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 92	I bought one a week ago because I am getting aptasia from my refugium... it is infested in there all throughout the chaeto. I havent seen him eat one aptasia but HE BETTER as I wont feed him.

08/31/2006, 03:16 PM	#15
FSOL Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 926	Mine was eating bloodworms at the store, so I decided to buy it and just feed it bloodworms. Now in my tank, it won't eat anything, and is getting thinner. I don't see any luck in keeping this guy alive unless I can somehow catch it and throw it in my fuge, where there's lots of pods. Doesn't bother the featherdusters either.

08/31/2006, 03:35 PM	#16
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	Try the live little-neck clams. He should eat them. __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

08/31/2006, 04:14 PM	#17
Waxxiemann Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 2,364	I am considering one of these for my little aptasia problem as well. Not only that but they are beautiful fish as well. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein

08/31/2006, 04:18 PM	#18
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	Some eye candy Achilles __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

08/31/2006, 04:19 PM	#19
Waxxiemann Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 2,364	I have had an ich outbreak in my display before and I worry that adding this fish may spell its doom. I haven't seen any sign of ich in my tank for about 2 months. That doesn't mean it's not in there though. It seems as though every new fish I add (no matter how well I quarentine) has a small breakout for the first few weeks. It usually subsides though I don't know how a fragile fish such as this would fair. What do you guys think? __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein

08/31/2006, 04:30 PM	#20
Waxxiemann Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 2,364	.... sorry for hijacking.... seems like the right place to ask. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein

08/31/2006, 04:59 PM	#21
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	amazing picture xcreonx __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down

08/31/2006, 05:25 PM	#22
JoeyK@OCMD Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 163	are CBs succebtable to black ich as well?

08/31/2006, 06:39 PM	#23
Bono Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Lakewood Ranch Fl. Posts: 872	I am also thinking of adding a CB but have heard that bigger is better and that smaller ones have a poor success rate. I also noticed, I think on Marinedepot, that they won't guarantee the Smalls only the Med and Large. Anyone with any experience big or small? __________________ Living it up in Florida Current Tank Info: 210 gal, 300lbs LR, Aquamaxx Skimmer, 3x Reefbreeders LED's & T5's.

08/31/2006, 06:44 PM	#24
marinelife Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Union, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,590	I will let you know in a week, I have a small(1.5in) one in my 300 that I have had for a week, I am getting a 4 inch one for my 180 tomorrow __________________ I'm a SaltGeek are You? All LED since 2010. Current Tank Info: 375 Gallon Reef with siporax, all LED lighting, and Red Dragon 3 and Abyzz A200 on 2 closed loops.

08/31/2006, 07:08 PM	#25
Bono Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Lakewood Ranch Fl. Posts: 872	Does the small one eat ok? and where did you get him? __________________ Living it up in Florida Current Tank Info: 210 gal, 300lbs LR, Aquamaxx Skimmer, 3x Reefbreeders LED's & T5's.