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Copperband Butterflyfish
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Copperband Butterflies have yellow-orange vertical bands with blue-black edging on the white body. They also have a blue-edged black "eye-spot" and a thin, vertical black band at the base of the caudal fin....
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| Scientific Name |
Chelmon rostratus
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| Common Names |
Beaked Butterflyfish, Beaked Coralfish, Orange Stripe Butterfly
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Searched Copperband Butterflyfish in Reviews
Was everything I hoped for and more... 
| Comments |
I was extremely reluctant to purchase this fish due to the difficulty of care it requires. I had a major outbreak of aiptasia. I had purchased peppermint shrimp at $11 per shrimp!!! They ate the much smaller ones but at a really slow rate. I had to do something before it takes over my whole tank. So I went out on a limb and purchased the Copperband which I may tell you is an absolutely beautiful fish. His sole purpose was to eat aiptasia and he good at what he does. With him and the shrimp along with the Aiptasia X I am fully undercontrol. When there is no aiptasia he eats brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and algae wafers. He is extremely peaceful and gets along with his tank mates. I have a 95 gallon wave tank and with about 150LBS of live rock and he has plenty of hiding spaces but surprisingly one of the most active fish in the tank.
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| Liked about it |
His colors, calmness, curiousness, the fact he is eating all the aiptasia and how active this little guy is.
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| Didn't like |
Maybe I just lucked out with this guy but he was super easy to accolomate and ate right away, not sure why everyone has so much trouble with these guys...
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| Overall rating: |
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5.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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5.0 |
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Beautiful and a Must for the Reefer that likes a challenge
| Comments |
The Copper band Butterfly Fish is one of my Personal Favorites. They are not In my opinion for the inexperienced Aquarist, they take a Specific Diet and much care to ensure healthy and happy living situation.
The colors are great, not the most vibrant but very different.
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| Liked about it |
They are of great personality and seem to interact with certain things in the system. Mine seems to dance a bit with a Power head.
Great but very unusual colors, more so than common tank mates.
They are not very aggressive to other tank mates, as long as you respect certain rules such as similar shaped and size fish.
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| Didn't like |
It can be difficult to get them eating on a regular and balanced diet.
They are very skittish when first introduced to a system.
One thing that is a pity is they enjoy munching on many things people like seeing on their Live Rock, such as Spirorbids, Feather dusters and things of that nature.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.5 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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4.5 |
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Amazing fish
| Comments |
I have heard horror stories about keeping this fish, its diet and its distruction of corals and snails etc. I have had mine for about 8 months. He is a great addition to the tank. an absolute beautiful fish with funny ,corky way about him. He is very curious and is always all over the tank in and out of any small spaces. If I add something new to the tank he has to inspect it first. lol Its almost like it has to get his approval. lol I can witch him for hours just a joy to have. He has a huge appitite and eats anything and everything he can get into his yapper,and if its to big for his yapper he will shred it first. He loves to eat.I feed him frozen brin, fresh/frozen shrimp, pellets, flake, mysis, krill, and some fresh fish
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| Liked about it |
Good eater
friendly with his tank mates
friendly with me, Its almost like he wants to be pet
keeps the tank aptasia free
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| Didn't like |
eats my feather dusters
attention starved, If im looking in the tank he is always right in front of my eyes,
not much bad to say about this fish
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| Overall rating: |
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5.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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5.0 |
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It ate my 6" T. Crocea overnight.
| Comments |
The copper band butterfly is a very beautiful fish. I loves that way it was always out and about. A very social and friendly fish. When I got mine it was eating prepared foods. Within 6 weeks it had stopped eating prepared food. The CBB is an excellent predator of Aiptsatia. That's why I got it. I knew there was a risk with other inverts but I took a chance. It decimated the Aipt in a very short time. I can only guess that while consuming them it developed it's natural taste for inverts. One day I have a beautiful 6" Crocea the next day an empty shell! This would be a excellent addition to a invert/clam free tank (including anemones) but that would be the only place I would keep one.
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| Liked about it |
This is a very colorful fish, with great coloration and markings.
Very effective and eradicating Glass Anemones. (and clams, feather duster, etc too)
Affordable These fish usually retail for under $50
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| Didn't like |
It ate my Clam! I cannot blame the fish for that it was only doing what it does in the wild!
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| Overall rating: |
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3.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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2.0 |
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A Good Tankmate
| Comments |
From what I've read and heard, these guys can be tricky at times to feed. However, in my experience, I have been "lucky" or got a good one. When I was at the pet store picking my guy out, I asked the owner if they were feeding and if he would feed them for me. He said they were eating frozen mysid, and he would throw in some live brine shrimp for me. He did and the fish wouldn't eat live brine. So he threw in frozen mysid and the little guy started going off. Bagged him up and been smooth sailing ever since.
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| Liked about it |
1. Beautiful fish, very active (constantly picking off LR and substrate)
2. Mine eats almost anything
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| Didn't like |
1.I don't know any
have heard that they pick at zoas, but mine hasn't in the 3 months I've had him
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| Overall rating: |
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4.5 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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5.0 |
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Aiptasia killer
| Comments |
I have bought three and still have two. The two that survived were weaned on live black worms and live gut loaded brine shrimp. I fed my frozen fish mash (homemade - raw table shrimp, frozen mysis, scallops, cod, talapia, nori, garlic, cyclopeze, selcon, etc..) at the same time and both of them learned to eat it vigorously over time. They mainly pick out the meaty items - especially tne shrimp. I still feed all of my fish live blackworms multiple times a week. My oldest copperband can practically be picked out of the tank by hand - especially during feeding. Both have grown well.
The one that died fed on live brine, blackworms and frozen mysis for the first three days and then went on a hunger strike and died. I suspect he was cyno collected.
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| Liked about it |
Mine eliminated my aiptasia rather quickly. They are a striking fish. Mine are personable and get along with all tank members well. Mine have left all corals and clams alone.
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| Didn't like |
They always desimate the feather duster population. I have them in both of my displays, but I miss the feather dusters. They also eat flame scallops. I even suspect my large one of eating cleaner shrimp. I can't keep them around for more than a day or two in that tank. I have never seen him eat them though. The second one lives with cleaner shrimp no problem.
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| Overall rating: |
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5.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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5.0 |
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Very Happy with mine.
| Comments |
It can be a very difficult species to keep,I have the one from paupa new guinea. When you decide to purchase one though have the store feed him in front of you if he doesn't accept small pieces of mysis or brine shrimp pass it up till you can find one that will.Very peaceful fish and mine dosen't pick at any of my corals just the rock.also has grown quite quickly when I first purchased him he was about 2" in length.Six months later he has doubled in size.
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| Liked about it |
Mine mainly eats aptasia ,but will accept small pieces of Mysis and brine shrimp.I have had mine for over six months and he does very well at keeping my tank free from aptasia.
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| Didn't like |
However,I do not recommend this fish for the novice reef keeper,as mentioned in previous reviews they can be very picky about what they eat and often don't make it.
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| Overall rating: |
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5.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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5.0 |
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Pretty fish but very picky eater...
| Comments |
I purchased one of these fish after being told that they are easy to care for. They are not. I believe the main reason is they have a very picky diet. Mine is doing well after plenty of research. Began feeding him
live blood worms then he began to eat brine shrimp. He now eats frozen blood worms and brine shrimp. Constantly scavenging for food. Has never had a problem with other tankmates and is a colorful addition to tank.
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| Liked about it |
Very colorful fish. Gets along great with other tankmates.
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| Didn't like |
Not for every tank. Will more than likely have to baby this fish to keep him. If you decide that you must have one be prepared to purchase several different food sources to find what he wants.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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3.0 |
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expert only fish
| Comments |
Very difficult to keep. Hard to teach them to feed on prepared foods. Very active though always searching for food in the rocks, mostly eating all the fan worms. At the LFS Always see if it is eating before buying. Definitely quarantine if you do buy(very delicate)
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| Liked about it |
Help with aptasia removal. Also the fluttery way it swam around (Butterfly Fish) Loved it's color and false eye
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| Didn't like |
Extremely Hard to keep. Nipped at some corals
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| Overall rating: |
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2.5 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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2.0 |
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A Doomed Beauty
| General |
I, in good conscience, could not recommend this fish to anyone but the most experienced hobbyist with a very large tank. While it is possible to get fish that will accept frozen foods, getting them to take prepared foods is much harder. Frozen foods seem to be insufficient to sustain these fish, and sadly the majority of them in captivity are doomed to a very short life. |
| Liked about it |
This is an absolutely beautiful fish. Great for cleaning up Aiptasia. Gets along well with tankmates.
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| Didn't like |
Along with cleaning up unwanted inverts, it also cleaned out all my feather dusters. Difficult to feed.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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1.0 |
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challenging fish
| Comments |
These fish are notorious for not taking to a captive diet, and I would not recommend them as a result. I wouldnt be surprised if more the 3/4 of those brought into the hobby die within a few months. that said, if you can find one that has been in an aquarium for a while, they are reef safe and can help maintain nuisance anemone populations (particularly aiptasia). This fish may get to about 8", so best for tanks over 75 gallons.
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| Liked about it |
beautiful fish, reef safe, and can help control nuisance anemones, they can make a great addition if they are successfully acclimated to captivity.
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| Didn't like |
very challenging to acclimate, and they're likely to eat any tubeworms or feather dusters, but otherwise a good reef safe fish.
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| Overall rating: |
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3.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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2.0 |
 By crvz May 05, 2009
Last updated: May 17, 2010
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Gorgous fish
| General |
A beautiful fish but hard to keep. I would not recommend this fish for beginner hobbyists. |
| Liked about it |
I absolutely love this fish! it has beautiful gold and silver stripes with a false eye that defintely going to stand out in your tank. A very shy and gentle looking fish IMO. Copperbanded butterfly is not totally reef safe but rather a hit and miss, some will nip on corals, some won't, mine never do so i consider myself lucky.
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| Didn't like |
Hard to keep species, i have failed couple times keeping one successfully. Making sure to acclimate this fish before you put it in, it's very important not only to this particular fish but any other as well. If possible, try to get it from your LFS and not online, thus you can see whether or not it's healthy and eats well. If it doesnt eat, dont buy it yet because it's most likely going to starve itself to death.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.5 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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4.0 |
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make sure youre confident in your setup before purchase
| Comments |
very active, peaceful, except to my featherdusters ate them throught their tube. difficult, finicky eaters mine died or likeliy starved once aiptasia was eaten up
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| Liked about it |
pretty
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| Didn't like |
difficult to feed/died
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| Overall rating: |
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2.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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1.0 |
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Worth the Money
| Comments |
This is a rather difficult fish to eat. Several reasons, they are prone to not eating or barly eating. They tend to pick at the reef and can be difficult to get to it mysis or brin shrimp. If you can accomplish that, they can get Ich.
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| Liked about it |
This animal is beautiful to watch and have in your reef aquarium
Reef safe
very active and tends to stay out for viewing.
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| Didn't like |
Eating and adapting difficulties.
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| Overall rating: |
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2.5 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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2.0 |
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Extremely finicky and challenging fish to keep
| General |
These fish are notorious for not eaisly taking to captive diets and overall being very difficult to keep. I would not recommend this fish to beginners and am hesitent to recommend keeping this fish at all. I have had some limited success with a specimen that was already eating frozen spirulina enriched brine shrimp (demonstrated in front of me) at the LFS. Even with this, he only survived for 9 months before disappearing one day. |
| Liked about it |
Ate all my aptasia and kept my tank aptasia free for 9 months. Aswesome coloration and personality.
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| Didn't like |
Extremely difficult to keep.
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| Overall rating: |
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4.0 |
| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
| Would consider buying it again: |
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4.0 |
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internal use: spec329
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