How do I train my copper banded butterfly?

Medman · 03-11-2002, 06:46 PM

I purchased a very nice copper banded butterfly a few days ago to combat my aiptasia, but it has yet to munch on it. Do I have to get butterfly biscuits?

SueT · 03-11-2002, 08:30 PM

medman, I have a copperband in my 180 and I am the one that has to take care of the ocassional aiptasia. I think some of these copperband's either eat them or they don't. Mine has never even looked at them. I have had this copperband for over a year now. HMMM, copperband biscuits.... Now thats a thought. Mine would like the mysis flavored the best. Good luck!!

my 180 ecosystem sps tank:
http://berlinemthod.com/suet/
my 120 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

David · 03-12-2002, 02:20 AM

FWIW I have had much better luck with raccoon than copperband.

Reinhold · 03-12-2002, 06:37 PM

I had two Copperband Butterflies when I had a FO tank, and I could never get either to eat anything, much less aptasia.

They can be a tough fish to keep alive.

David · 03-14-2002, 01:55 AM

Sure you will find folks with tales of long lived copperbands but that's true for any fish considered difficult, there are always exceptions. I have tried two over the past year or so and both died quickly. On the other hand I have had two raccoons that fared much better. The first would eat nothing but aptasia and slowly starved after it ate them all. The second I have had for four months now, it eats anything I throw at it and I move it from tank to tank (nine) to get the aiptasias. For the most part it doesn't bother coral although it has a real taste for zoanthid polyps. Just my thoughts.

Chris Lakies · 03-14-2002, 04:52 PM

How large is your tank? I had a lot of pesty aptasia - but after I added 2 peppermint shrimp to my 55 gallon, 2 weeks later ----------------- No aptasia! Now I just hand feed them about once a week to make sure they get some nurishment.

Biomanjcs72 · 03-15-2002, 05:50 PM

UNfortunately, and I can't remember the region, but copperbands that do eat aiptasia, come from a particular area/atoll/archipeligo/you get the idea. Copperbands that don't eat them, come from somewhere else. Sorry I can't shed more light on it (like where you need to get the copperbands from that do eat them)

JCS

SueT · 03-15-2002, 07:49 PM

JCS, very good info there. I didn't know that it depended on the area where the fish were collected as to whether or not they will or won't eat aiptasia. Mine obviously came from the non-aiptasia area.

my 180 ecosystem sps tank:
http://berlinmethod.com/suet/
my 120 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

03-11-2002, 06:46 PM	#1
Medman Council Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Edina, MN USA Posts: 382	How do I train my copper banded butterfly? I purchased a very nice copper banded butterfly a few days ago to combat my aiptasia, but it has yet to munch on it. Do I have to get butterfly biscuits? __________________ A Fool and his Money are Soon Parted

03-14-2002, 01:55 AM	#5
David Citizen Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: San Diego Posts: 210	Agreed... Sure you will find folks with tales of long lived copperbands but that's true for any fish considered difficult, there are always exceptions. I have tried two over the past year or so and both died quickly. On the other hand I have had two raccoons that fared much better. The first would eat nothing but aptasia and slowly starved after it ate them all. The second I have had for four months now, it eats anything I throw at it and I move it from tank to tank (nine) to get the aiptasias. For the most part it doesn't bother coral although it has a real taste for zoanthid polyps. Just my thoughts.

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03-11-2002, 08:30 PM	#2
SueT Mayor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Houston,Tex. USA Posts: 544	medman, I have a copperband in my 180 and I am the one that has to take care of the ocassional aiptasia. I think some of these copperband's either eat them or they don't. Mine has never even looked at them. I have had this copperband for over a year now. HMMM, copperband biscuits.... Now thats a thought. Mine would like the mysis flavored the best. Good luck!! my 180 ecosystem sps tank: http://berlinemthod.com/suet/ my 120 ecosystem sps/clam tank: http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html www.marshreef.org/members

03-12-2002, 02:20 AM	#3
David Citizen Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: San Diego Posts: 210	FWIW I have had much better luck with raccoon than copperband.

03-12-2002, 06:37 PM	#4
Reinhold Mayor Join Date: May 2001 Location: USA Posts: 941	I had two Copperband Butterflies when I had a FO tank, and I could never get either to eat anything, much less aptasia. They can be a tough fish to keep alive.

03-14-2002, 04:52 PM	#6
Chris Lakies Council Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Utica Mi. Posts: 270	How large is your tank? I had a lot of pesty aptasia - but after I added 2 peppermint shrimp to my 55 gallon, 2 weeks later ----------------- No aptasia! Now I just hand feed them about once a week to make sure they get some nurishment.

03-15-2002, 05:50 PM	#7
Biomanjcs72 Mayor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Birmingham, Al, USA Posts: 815	UNfortunately, and I can't remember the region, but copperbands that do eat aiptasia, come from a particular area/atoll/archipeligo/you get the idea. Copperbands that don't eat them, come from somewhere else. Sorry I can't shed more light on it (like where you need to get the copperbands from that do eat them) JCS

03-15-2002, 07:49 PM	#8
SueT Mayor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Houston,Tex. USA Posts: 544	JCS, very good info there. I didn't know that it depended on the area where the fish were collected as to whether or not they will or won't eat aiptasia. Mine obviously came from the non-aiptasia area. my 180 ecosystem sps tank: http://berlinmethod.com/suet/ my 120 ecosystem sps/clam tank: http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html www.marshreef.org/members

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