copperband new addition - effective methods to getting CBB to eat?

[ryanpal]

a CBB is one of my new arrivals this week. i will be putting him in a qt tank. i've read these guys can be tricky to get them to eat. this guy will be with some other fish in the same qt tank, which i don't believe should be a problem if they are all well fed and fighting for food since the CBB is a shy fish.

i've read feeding blood worms, black worms, and even putting a clam on the half shell in the tank can work. what do you guys recommend that could get this fish to eat relatively quickly?

note* this isn't an australian CBB so i understand it might be a bit more of a challenge. also this order is from liveaquaria..perhaps it's already been eating in their tanks???

any info appreciated

[Bruno3047]

Live brine shrimp.

[glassbox-design]

They are not quick to take to prepared foods, especially from the water column. Find a clean source for live blackworms, IME the movement and shape is irresistible to healthy CBB.

He/she will then connect you with food, and that food does not always come from LR You may have to place the worms on the LR at first. To get the first few eaten.

Once it takes to the worms, mix in mysis and brine. (soak the foods in garlic and/or selco.)

It takes some patience, but it works.

HTH

[abulgin]

Mine goes crazy for live black worms and anything "fresh" that is seafood, like a clam, oyster or mussel.

When I got mine, I put him in QT. At first, he ate frozen Mysis but that stopped after day 2. He then showed signs of lymphocystis. After about 10 days, I started to get worried and did a lot of research, and the good people at WWM advised me to forget the QT and get the fish in the display asap. Within 2 weeks his lymphocystis was gone. I was feeding him live brine shrimp, but I worried about introducing disease. I decided to give black worms a try, and I've never looked back--he is crazy for them. I also shell a clam or mussel every once in a while and throw that in, which he also tears into.

[dynamixone]

do your CBB eat RBTAs?

[drstupid]

clam on the half shell

[ryanpal]

i dont think i would risk putting any infected fish into my main display. i've had to many beginner learning experiences that i do not wish to repeat.

glassbox-design,

if i get live black worms. can't i just put them on top of the pvc that is in the tank? i'm not sure what you mean by "clean source"

[abulgin]

Lymphocystis is not a disease that is contageous and introducing a fish with lymphocystis does not pose any risk to your other livestock. There is no cure for it other than good water quality and nutrition. If you provide those two things, it will go away on its own.

[Reefer Wannabe]

Just remember: They are not used to grabbing food from the water column; they're used to picking it out of holes and/or eating small clams, etc. Sometimes, they will eat frozen mysis or frozen black/blood worms if you shove them into a hole in a rock. Small clams, etc are probably your best bet.

[Hal]

Do you mince up the clams, oysters, mussels, etc., or just toss them in?

[Otto2]

Where do you get black worms?

[dynamixone]

Originally posted by scottdwh
Where do you get black worms?

LFS usually has them

[abulgin]

I just shuck the clam and throw it in the tank to let the fish pick at it. This is more natural for the CBB.

My LFS sells live black worms. You can also buy a worm keeper that keeps them alive in your refrigerator for weeks or more with water changes every few days.

[RockyMtnReef]

After getting mine to eat live blood worms I started feeding Frozen Seaworm Supreme Cubes. It is the only prepared food mine will eat but he chows it with a vengance.

[Wind Seeker]

My CCB loves black worms. He is a voracious eater. Also, not at all shy. He will stand up to a 10 inch sailfin ...quite impressive. He is a great fish, very active, health and beuitful. I get my worms on line from the worm man. Be sure to change the water in the holding container every few days. Can get rancid if you do not. Also, I have a lot of live rock with pods, and this supplements the CCB's diet of worms and mysis. I find it interesting that he has gotten more aggressive for food with time. Now he is right up at the surface with the other fish at feeding time. Far from shy. I am very lucky to have him.

[hardaur]

I have a recently aquired CBB myself, I ended up purchasing live clams (refrigerated, packed like hamburger meat) from Costco, it was like $9 for 30 or so clams. I open them (cut them open) and drop them in whole. The CBB is C R A Z Y for them, as are my Coral Beauty and Heniochus(sp?). Not to mention the snails and hermits.

When I got the clams I placed them in a ziploc in the fridge with the bag not quite zipped closed, they're still alive after 2-3 weeks (anybody have a better method?). I'm feeding every other day.

Finally, I also like it because it's a relatively clean food. I just take it out 4 or so hours later and there's very little mess from it.

H

P.S. Just for those that might assume. . .this is by no means the only thing I'm feeding, just what the CBB goes for. Have had 0 luck with him and prepared foods from the water column, but he does graze constantly.

[Kootch]

When I got my first CBB it would pick at the sponge filter in the QT tank a little bit, but wouldn't take any food that was 'moving', within in the water column or floating around the bottom of the tank.
I stuffed an empty snail shell with mysis and other meaty foods and dropped it to the bottom of the tank. After a short time he found the shell and picked all of the food out.

This technique was more important after I put him in the display with a couple of clowns and a greedy damsel. The CBB still couldn't figure out how to grab food out of the water column.
By this time he was fully used to the shell being dropped to the bottom of the tank, though. He would chase it down immediately.

Little by little he got used to chasing food around the bottom of the tank. MAny times he would suck all of the food out of the shell in one big clump, too much to eat at once, then have to chase it down before the others got to it. A few weeks later he is finally competing with the other fish and getting his share of the free floating food as soon as I drop it in the tank.

[Kootch]

I forgot to mention that he also cleaned out my display tank of all aptasia, tubeworms, spaghetti worms (which I wish I still had as they did a great job of keeping the sand clean) and colonial hydroids.
I haven't heard of anyone else saying that a copperband will eat hydroids but he did for me. Well....I didn't actually SEE it happen, but they mysteriously dissappeared little by little after introducing the copperband to the display tank.

[mile sq. reefer]

Live Aquaria is a reputable vendor from the majority of positive feedback that I've read on this site. I dont think they would send a fish that is not eating with parasites. However you never know how shipping stress is going to impact a fish. CBB are very picky eaters and delicate animals. Before I purchased this fish I would have to see one at the LFS that was healthy looking, active, and eating prior to purchase. I ve had one before that met the prior criteria only to stop eating later on. This is one fish that I would have to see rather than order on line. It should also go into mature large sized tank with a good amount of rock for food and hiding. Good Luck. A bad pic from a long time ago. He's on the hunt.
[IMG][/IMG]

[ryanpal]

excellent info here guys. i really appreciate the feedback. i believe there are many options available which should give a great chance of success.

mile sq. reefer,

good points. guess i'll have to hope for the best since it's arriving in a few hours ;]

[RockyMtnReef]

You guys should really give the Seaworm Supreme a try. Mine takes it out of the water column and goes up against a 8" Sailfin, a harliquan tusk plus a Regal and Purple tang to get it.

[Big E]

Who's the brand manufacturer of Seaworm Supreme Rocky?

[RockyMtnReef]

Good question.....I will check when I get home from work and will post it tomorrow. I will also try to take a pic or two of him chowing down just for grins.

I started feeding a cube every other night along with the selection of flake I always feed about 9 mo ago which was a month or so after I added the CBB. This was the result of a recommendation from the LFS owner who also owns a tank maintenance business. He said "start out with the live bloodworms until they get comfortable and then switch to the frozen". He hit it right on the head.

[kstallbe]

My CBB eats only live black worms so far (approx 5 months). He ate them right out of the water column from the get go. He also picks them off the rock and substrate once they settle. I turn off the pumps when feeding so they dont whiz around the tank too fast.

And I agree on placing the fish in the display so as to provide the best water quality possible. My fish developed a sore on his side shortly after I brought him home, but recovered with 2x daily feedings and good water quality.

Good luck!

[RockyMtnReef]

The company that makes SW Supreme is "Pro-Salt" (according to the package). I did some web searches this AM however I cant find any info on it. I buy it from that LFS.

No photo's yet. Wife left the camera at her office but I will post some soon.