copperband in a reef?

[DisturbedReefer]

Over the last 35 years I've had about 38 Copperband Butterflyfish. Love 'em.

One of their favorite foods is clam on the half-shell. Most will enjoy some common inverts now and then. Their feeding habits are dependent upon how well you're meeting their nutritional needs. Mother Nature has put a 'chip' into their brains that says "EAT" when they are not getting their proper nutrition. So, you'll see some variations in their behavior in reef tanks.

Check out these posts:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15720
and part 2
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15719

The best thing this fish can have is to be quarantined before putting into the display tank and to get it eating what it should be eating, and satisfying its nutritional demands while in the QT. Released into the display tank without the QT stopover, it will revert to its natural 'scouting and picking' at LR and may refuse other foods, thus slowly starving to death (after eating whatever it can from your reef livestock).

Mine ate like crazy (mysis and ocean plankton) he was very fat and happy and was eating very well in Indoor Reef's reef tank prior to that. He did not revert back to his natural behavior do to nutritional needs. One of the things we feed these guys is clams to meet their nutritional needs, seems only natural to me that they should eat clams:badgrin: IMO a clam eater is a clam eater, no matter how much you feed them there will always be the chance they will take a bite someday. That said, I would take one of these beauties over a clam anyday, but if your willing to take the chance for co-existence go for it.

 

[Dr. Dee]

I don't buy the apstasia control part because that was the main reason i got one and all he did was eat my small dusters. He hangs out by three apstasias and doesn't even go near them. I would say to not get it Matt. They are a neat fish but its not worth it IMO.

Yeah like i stated it depends on the fish

 

[leebca]

Blazer88.

I was a retailer for 4 of those years. I don't keep them all.

I would keep the fish for experimental purposes.

I would acclimate some fish for others to raise.

One of that group is now 15 inches long and 17 years old.

 

[balogh03]

i didnt even know that they got that big.

 

[oliver]

Mine continually pecks at sps polyps. Maybe he thinks they are aptasia. No damage that I can see tho.

 

[shallowreef]

If it is picking at the polyps it mostly likely will cause the SPS to die in the future. Unless it does its feeding at night but i had a flame angel that liked to pick at SPS and he ruined a lot of my colonies.