CopperBanded Butterfly

drdude05 · 02-23-2008, 06:51 PM

Well, after much debating with myself, I decided to add a CopperBanded Butterfly to my 180 gallon reef. I have gone back and forth about trying to keep one as I know their survival rate in captivity is less than encouraging. I had mainly been thinking about keeping one due to the abundance of aptasia I have in my reef. Ultimately I had decided against keeping one. Then while buying supplies (food, suppliments, etc.) at my LFS today, I spotted one in one of the larger displays. It was housed with some sps and zoas and after watching it for sometime, it did not appear to pick on either of these coral types, at least not in the LFS display tank. Knowing that these fish survive poorly in captivity I struck up a converstation with one of the teenage employees, and it became very apparent he knew nothing about these delicate fish. I asked to speak with a manager. Really, more for the purpose of testing if a higher up knew anything about what they were selling. I happened to get the owner in this case. After a brief conversation, it became obvious that the owner had no idea what he was selling either. I attempted to, very respectfully, explain that CB's tend to do very poorly in captivity, and related much of the information that has been passed around here about them. To my surprise, the owner was very receptive to my polite education and criticism. So much so that he admitted not knowing that much about CB care needs and that would explain why he had had several specimins returned to the store over the previous months. I guess he was surprised at my genuine concern for these fish (any of the species we keep really) and offered the CB he had to me at a much reduced price. His reason was that since I seemed to know what I was talking about, that the fish might fair better with me than another customer that was clueless. After much internal debate I agreed, under the condition that he didn't offer any more CB for sale, as this would only reinforce a demand and thus spawn continued collecting. He agreed, so I now have a new CB acclimating as I type this. Pictures to come.

schmidt01 · 02-23-2008, 06:53 PM

Good luck with him! I can't wait to see the pictures!

ScruffyRubicon · 02-23-2008, 06:53 PM

Congrats! Hope you can get him to do well for you!

Hop · 02-23-2008, 06:56 PM

Hope he works out Doc!

drdude05 · 02-23-2008, 07:42 PM

Thanks guys. I hope he does well too. I made the owner show me what they were feeding him (spirulina enriched brine shrimp) and then feed him to ensure that he was indeed eating. After he activly outcompeted the naso tang in the tank with him to eat about half the food that was offered, I figured he might have a good chance. And if he does have a taste for aptasia then he won't go hungry for awhile

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crvz · 02-23-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdude05

Thanks guys. I hope he does well too. I made the owner show me what they were feeding him (spirulina enriched brine shrimp) and then feed him to ensure that he was indeed eating. After he activly outcompeted the naso tang in the tank with him to eat about half the food that was offered, I figured he might have a good chance. And if he does have a taste for aptasia then he won't go hungry for awhile

.

That's great. I hope it works out too!

drdude05 · 02-23-2008, 08:27 PM

Here are a few pics as promised.

partobe · 02-23-2008, 08:38 PM

Congrats!!! My friends just bought one a few weeks ago and he loves live blood worms. They told me he goes crazy every time they put a batch in. He's now eating frozen brine as well. Good Luck!

aquawolf · 02-24-2008, 12:10 AM

That is a great story and a good agreement for that store owner not to be ordering anymore of those fish. I sure hope everything works out for the best and he thrives in your tank for many years to come.

Congratulations and best of luck!

snow_man84088 · 02-24-2008, 10:28 AM

Good Luck! I hope he does well for you and helps with the aptasia.

Sndwave80 · 02-24-2008, 10:46 AM

Great fish!

drdude05 · 02-24-2008, 03:24 PM

Thanks everyone.

I have been watching some interesting behavior in my tank today. I have kept the light out since I introduced the CB yesterday evening in an attempt to keep my other fish some what disoriented as my CB adjusts. One of my main worries has been my purple tang. This was actually one of the reasons that I originally was not going to add a CB. I fugured my PT would bully it to death. Well, true to my fears, I noticed the PT chasing after the CB at lights out last night. However, today I have been observing some interesting behaviour. While the PT still seems to be "on patrol" and posturing around the CB, when it starts to inch close, as if it is going to chase it again, my Foxface rabbitfish intervenes by positioning himself between the CB and the PT. Amost as if he is mediating a fight. He has been hanging round with the CB to as if he is protecting him as he acclimates. I've never seen anything like this before. Pehaps it is wishful thinking on my part, but this behaviour has been steady all day today.

Loverotties · 02-24-2008, 03:33 PM

Very Nice looking! Good Luck!

aquawolf · 02-24-2008, 03:55 PM

That is some cool behavior you are seeing for sure. Who really knows what they think and why they do what they do? I was at a club meeting yesterday and the hostess had a mandarin goby and a yellow canary blenny. The blenny would lie right next to the mandarin and rest its head on it at times and once the mandarin even put its pectoral fin over the blenny like it had its arm around it. That was also something interesting to behold.

Hopefully things will keep going as well as they have been so far, your foxface might just be a hero.

partobe · 02-24-2008, 05:37 PM

I had a clown fish that would do that so I do beleive your correct in what your seeing. Who knows why but mybe the fox was bullied at one point.