Copperband butterfly fish-reef safe or not

[Marinemom]

:rolleye1: O.K. What's the scoop on a copperband butterfly fish? Are they reef safe or not? Some people say yes, some people say no, some say it is 50/50. So which is it?

I was going to buy a small tang for my reef which I have not done yet, but I decided I like the copperband butterfly fish too which I had not even considered until some aptasia has shown up in my tank. I hear they like to eat this. If so, what else do they like to eat? Will he get to big for my system? I have a 60 gallon reef that has been set up for 6 months. I haven't seen any aptasia until now so my peppermint shrimp must be dead. I'm not that fond of the peppermints anyway.

Please help me out on this one. I don't want the aptasia to get out of control and I saw a pretty copperband but I'm not sure wheather or not to get him.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Marinemom

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I've had two in my 400 G tank and haven't seen them bother any corals. They mostly eat stuff they pick from the rocks including apstaia. I have also seen mine eat small pellet foods. Thye are hard to get to eat but once they are eating, you should be fine. I currently don't have any zoa's in my tank so I'm not sure if they would bother them.

[Bebo77]

i have zoas they dont bother them.. they are reef safe IMO

[hgbarwick]

I had one and they are reef safe.

[Bambalamb]

I've read posts from people with CBBs that said they nipped at some corals, but the majority (IMO) seem to be OK with them. I feel that having one for aiptasia control, as well as Peppermint shrimp, is somewhat hit or miss.
If your main objective is to get rid of the aiptasia, check out the sticky thread with that title. Personally, I have had success using a Kalkwasser and RO water mixture in paste form that nukes them pretty good.

HTH

[ChickenCannoneer]

I have had mine for about 6 months no problems yet.

Tim

[thor32766]

the only thing copperbands will mess with that would truly notice is all your feather dusters will dissapear. if you dont mind that, they are a gorgeous fish. Just make sure and get them to eat at the store before you bring it home.

[TheBadGuy]

I went to the pet store today for the express purpose of purchasing one for aptasia as well. I have read allot on both sides of the fence but the lady at the fish store told me once the aptasia is gone, to get him out of there as he would go after corals.

I came home with some peppermint shrimp

[rags111875]

in my experience, my cbb mowed down all aiptasia. also got rid of all dusters. hasnt gone near any corals or zoa's. i've had him over a year. took about 2 weeks before it got rid of all the aiptasia (and there was ALOT)

[bertoni]

They are a bit variable, but usually don't seem to go after corals. That's "usually", not "never". They're also tough to get eating properly, often dying even in well-run tanks.

[hgbarwick]

My copper band ate all the time. He was a modle citizen. I came home one day to find him dead inside my old long tentacled anenome. The anenome was on the power head that my copper band always ate stuff off of, so I guess he went to close. It was back to the LFS for that anenome.

[Marinemom]

I think that I'm really giving some serios consideration to this beautiful fish. Sure he may or may not take care of the aptasia but he really is a georgeous fish. I don't know why I did not consider him before. I guess I've been so stuck on getting a tang, like a one track mind.The small shop that has him said if he does not work out they will take him back. I know that tangs are ich magnets. What about these guys? Are they just as bad with the ich and other disease?

Any and all info and advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Marinemom

[ASaleem91]

Not trying to hijack your thread or anything but I have a question because I am also thinking about getting a Copperband Butterflyfish. How do Copperband Butterflyfish do in captivity?

Thanks,
ASaleem91

[lux_06]

my fish was a real trooper in my first 2 tanks and had some tough moments but taught me so much about fish aclimitization , very hard to get to begin eating indeed... but i got him to eat just took some creative techiques... he didnt bother my corals at all and i was told he would eat any feather dusters so i knew what i was in for...

he got ich with the rest of the tank but survived it.. just leave the lights off while you put the fish in the tank and feed live brine shrimp with tank lights off and room lights on...

[Marinemom]

Does anyone know what the minimum size tank is for a copperband butterfly fish. I do not want to stuff him into anything that is too small for him.

Thanks in advance.

Marinemom

[bertoni]

75g or so is the usual limit I've read.

[Serioussnaps]

They have reports of not being reef safe...mine is for 2 and half years....i feed him piscine energetics mysis shrimp enriched in selcon and zoe.....also have a nice fuge teeming with pods for him.........he pecked at one coral...zoa....shook his head fastly like it was poisonous or bad tasting and never packed at another one.....they will knock snails off the glass and eat them if they are very hungry

[Serioussnaps]

Mine has been in a 55g for 2 and half years...it is a she because she has grown but she isnt getting huge...slow growth...she would like about a 75 or a 90g

[Serioussnaps]

reef safe ime