Copperband Butterfly

[Joost_]

Another option would be to try this product:
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/01/27/h2ocean-pro-reef-paste/
I haven no personal experience with this so take it with a grain of salt, but it looks very promising and seems to stimulate natural feeding behaviors.
Here's a video of it in action:
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/24/butterflyfish-reef-past/

If you decide to give it a try be sure to share your experiences with it!

Did you catch them yourself??

I'm sure Matt can answer this better than me, but in general Steinhart gets their fish from wholesalers, just like LFS. Catching 500 anthias would be quite a pain if it would be up to the biologist to do so.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

What else you got Matt?
Not really into CBB necessarily, but take us through your whole procedure.
Did you catch them yourself??

We just QT them in small tanks with some live rock and then feed the crap out of them. There is an article in Reefs Magazine where I detail our QT procedure.

Generally CBBs from Australia fare a lot better too. If you want to spend a bit extra, Marginalis butterflies are essentially identical in all respects, but HARDIER--handled better and more likely to live. But much more expensive.

 

[houser]

Yeah I think I perused that article now that you mentioned it
What do you reckon is the factor that takes so many down right out of the gate?
I know that's a generic question, but any particular part of the CoC that is the biggest offender?

 

[A_Lee]

Just an update -the copperband seems to be keeping down more food than it spits out

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Good luck!

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Yeah I think I perused that article now that you mentioned it
What do you reckon is the factor that takes so many down right out of the gate?
I know that's a generic question, but any particular part of the CoC that is the biggest offender?

Sorry Dave, I missed this the first time around.

I really don't know enough about how these guys are collected and handled to even venture a guess. I just know that there is widespread consensus that specimens from different areas have different long term mortality rates. Being stuck in a bag for too long, being handled frequently, not fed enough, etc. all potentially contribute to it.

 

[GDawson]

Just an update -the copperband seems to be keeping down more food than it spits out

Good Luck! They're beautiful fish!

-Gregory

 

[A_Lee]

Update.

Eats like a goddam pig.

 

[GDawson]

Congrats!

-Gregory

 

[Coral reefer]

Time to start renting him out to aiptasia farmers!

 

[sfboarders]

Update.

Eats like a goddam pig.

Good stuff! What's he grubbin on?

 

[A_Lee]

Update.

Eats like a goddam pig.

Good stuff! What's he grubbin on?

Anything frozen. Working on getting it to take NLS pellets

 

[Raddogz]

Did you try Matt's trick or did you use the dump food in front of it's face routine

 

[A_Lee]

I just kept feeding, and mixing foods, and over time the CBB became less and less picky about things. I did use a garlic soak the first couple of days, but am unsure of how much it actually may have helped.