Matted Filefish or Copperband Butterfly?

[ponokareefer]

Has anyone had problems with yellow tangs and copperbands?

[Reef Pilot]

Yup, Yellow Tangs really go after Copperbands when first introduced. Good news is that after a couple weeks, they settle down. However, during that time, you need to do what you can to protect the Copperband and distract the Yellow Tang. Mirrors and pics taped to the glass help.

[ILIKECOUGARS]

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

Has anyone had problems with yellow tangs and copperbands?

Only for the first week or so my yellow tang chase the copperband. All get along now.

[ponokareefer]

Thank you for everyone's input. I was going to go with a copperband, but the place I went to only had a healthy looking filefish available, so I grabbed it. It was in a tank with all types of corals and the staff told me that it wasn't picking on any of them, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[mark]

In a tank full of aiptasia why are Copperbands difficult, would think they have a good food source? Don't they go for the aiptasia from the start?

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by mark

In a tank full of aiptasia why are Copperbands difficult, would think they have a good food source? Don't they go for the aiptasia from the start?

Most CBB's don't live over a few months in captivity, even if there is aiptasia for them to eat. Also CBB's can eat tons of aiptasia fairly quickly so once it runs out if they are not eating frozen they can starve before the aiptasia comes back.

[reefwars]

got my copperband now on mysis,brine,cyclopeeze,pacifica plankton and a few different types of nls and fauna marin pellets not to mention fresg clam once a week.plus he hunts all day too.

he came only eating mysis , and didnt touch the aiptasia. once he pulled in his first nem it was game on a light went off in his head and bam ate the whole tank free of aiptasia in no time lol


i was scared as hell to get one over the years because of their bad rep for food and sudden deaths, im hoping i got lucky i dont think food will be a problem for mine unless he decides to stop eating for some reason.


filefish is still a safer choice imo,but i like the cbb colors and personality more though.

[paddyob]

Denny you know better! You know that cbb always die when they appear to be eating. I don't personally know anyone with success asides from claims on a forum that I can neither confirm or deny.

Avoid cbb.

Originally Posted by reefwars

got my copperband now on mysis,brine,cyclopeeze,pacifica plankton and a few different types of nls and fauna marin pellets not to mention fresg clam once a week.plus he hunts all day too.

he came only eating mysis , and didnt touch the aiptasia. once he pulled in his first nem it was game on a light went off in his head and bam ate the whole tank free of aiptasia in no time lol


i was scared as hell to get one over the years because of their bad rep for food and sudden deaths, im hoping i got lucky i dont think food will be a problem for mine unless he decides to stop eating for some reason.


filefish is still a safer choice imo,but i like the cbb colors and personality more though.

[Treebeard]

I have had 3 CBBs. The first two were small and only lasted a few weeks and died. I decided to try a larger one which was eating very well in the fish store. I had few aipitasia which it never touched, but it readily ate mysis and seemed to be thriving. It also cleaned every single feather duster from every rock. Eventually it stopped eating, got thin and perished. No more CBBs for this guy.

I have had a matted file fish for around 12 months and it cleaned up all of the aipitasia, although I never saw him eating it, I have none left. He picks away at the rocks but does not touch the corals.

Originally Posted by mark

In a tank full of aiptasia why are Copperbands difficult, would think they have a good food source? Don't they go for the aiptasia from the start?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

I have had a matted file fish for around 12 months and it cleaned up all of the aipitasia, although I never saw him eating it, I have none left. He picks away at the rocks but does not touch the corals.

I've rarely seen any of mine eating aptaisia but it does go away. I've had 5 or 6 of these over the years and none have touched my corals, again, that i've seen. You can get one that does though, I believe Brett added one that went right for his SPS.