Feeding banded butterfly fish...

[Ef3s]

I have a Copper Banded Butterfly fish in my tank and it seems to be slightly shy! It loves to come out when I'm away from the tank but when I'm near it it usually hides...

When I feed the fish..Velvet damsel(Stupid 1st choice) , Coral Beauty, Cream Angel, Banded Butterfly fish...they first 3 eat like crazy leaving little for the butterfly fish. I have to seemingly feed them to much in order for them to leave enough for him to eat..

Usually he gets very little to eat when I use frozen brine shrimp.

When I use these dwarf angel algae cubes and stick it in a crevis in a rock he uses his long snout to pick pieces off and seems to get a healthy meal. But the others also seem to eat so much that their stomachs slightly buldge!

I am assuming this is way to much! How can I get him to eat without letting the others completely pig out...!

 

[Mike612]

I hate to break it to you but for one thing, Copperband Butterflies don't always learn to eat with gusto in captivity because of stress being induced by other tankmates and they usually die of starvation. Also, like I said in your previous post, the Cream Angel, and now this butterfly, should be returned to the lfs. As pretty as they are, there are too many "big" fish in your tank. A 40 gallon should only have a few small fish, but not a butterfly or the Cream Angel. Both fish should be housed in nothing smaller than a 75 gallon aquarium.
I think you should reconsider your stocking list and learn about the fish you buy through books and the internet before you buy them.

 

[Ef3s]

I am pretty sure I stated in the other post that I am going to be getting a big aquarium. And the butterfly IS eating.

I am meerly wondering if the otherfishing overeating will be a problem...

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/ ... owTail.php
Says 30 gallons for cream angel...

Butterfly is 75 gallons and I'm hoping to increase to 90 this winter...

 

[Mike612]

That site's isn't accurate about tank sizes, neither is marinecenter (which states that certain tangs can be kept in 30 gallons, which is false and which is why I don't look to that site for information in that area). My book Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes by Scott Michael states minimum 75 gallons and here's another link stating 70 gallons. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1879&articleid=2007. I just looked back at that post that referred to the angel and I didn't read anything about an upgrade.

I'm sorry if I came off rude. I'm just trying to help you out. I'm glad to hear that you're planning on an upgrade soon.

In any case, like you said, the buttefly's a grazer. Try an assortment of foods in the rocks. Brine shrimp isn't very healthy for them but it's a start, mysis shrimp is good, I've heard good things about black worms, and whatever other carnivore foods you can supply him with.

 

[Ef3s]

Hmm I thought brine shrimp was mysis shrimp...

He s eating the brine shrimp fine now and is less shy today, maybe needed a week or so...

I will buy some mysis shrimp...

Is plankton good for them?

 

[Mike612]

I want to say no but only because these butterflies are carnivores and not planktivores. It's always worth a shot though.

 

[Ef3s]

Askin cause the algae cubes main ingredients are plankton, brine shrimp, algae...!

 

[cindre2000]

If by plankton you mean the mini-krill they sell, than yes. It can also help if you gorge the other fish on dry foods- a little more economic, and then toss in the frozen. But yes, if you can shove some of the live food in a crack (turkey baster) your copperband gets a advantage due to its snout!

 

[bubblepuffer]

lol - my few months all copper banded butterfly eat all my Tube or feather duster wormy =( .. now even stealing food out of my porcupine puffer mouth. One good news is that all the Aiptisia gone