# Copper band butterfly help.



## Guest (Oct 28, 2006)

I was at my local fish store and I thought these guys really knew there stuff. 6,000 gallons of saltwater and i was dealing with the owner of the store. I told him I had a 30 gallon tank the has been cycling for 2 months. I put to dams in to test the tank they are fine i think im ready to add a fish or two max. he said ok and pointed to the copper band i loved it he said he would be fine in my tank and i asked him to feed the fish and he was eating at the store. I bought a clown fish along with him. so i have 2 dams, clown and a copper band. 

I get home and start to read more and find out that 1 my tank might be to small and 2 there hard to feed and what not. im not sure what to do im a little new in the fish world and I would like to save him if I could. I have had him 16 hours so far and I tryed to feed him once with flakes. any pointers would be awsome guys thanks.

patrick


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Butterfly fish are best suited in 55 gallons or larger otherwise they will get stressed in small area. Especially when you already have 2 damselfishes. Damsels will get aggressive in time as they get bigger and harrass your butterfly due to their territorial nature. I think your best bet is to return the butterfly for an exchange on a more suitable fish (dwarf angels come to mind are Flame, Pygmy, Coral Beauty, etc...) for a 30 gallon tank. In the meantime, tell your lfs owner to research his livestock with compatibility, tank requirements, feeding habits, difficulty of care, etc ... on all his livestock INCLUDING butterfly fishes. Sounds to me he only cares about making a profit than telling you the butterfly isn't best in smaller tanks. 
I'm sure others here will agree with me somewhat as well. Good luck.


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2006)

yep. a 30 gallon is way too small for a copperband. and yes, they are very finicky eaters.

the 1st rule in the aquarium fish world is to never trust the lfs (local fish store). most of the time, they give advice just to make a buck. My assumption would be that he couldnt sell the copperband because of their rep for being hard to care for, and so he thought he'd pawn it off on you. This may not be true, he just may have not known any better as well (which is another reason not to trust the LFS), but it would be my guess.
On a brighter note, the clownfish is an excellent inhabitant for your tank. However, im not sure even a dwarf angel would have enough room in a 30 gallon.


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2006)

well thank guys i will be taking him back today its sad to see him go but i would rather do it befor ei get to attached. you have been very helpful. i will let you know how it goes.


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2006)

guys the local fish store wont take it back


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Obviously, he KNEW what he was doing ! Go back and tell him what we have told you here and tell him he had you suckered into buying the Copper Banded Butterfly and he intentionaly knew it was a finicky eater and demand an exchange for another fish. i don't know what else to say. Any comments boys & girls ?


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

I like this guy. Well, Somewhat.  Wish he/she had read more before jumping in but the thought is right. Find him a new home.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, you might be able to sell it to someone else, but you could possibly see some immediate improvement by just getting rid of the damsels. The damsels are certainly no small part of the problem, assuming that there even IS a problem. It is not uncommon for Copperband and other butterflies to refuse to eat for several days aftter being moved to a new tank, and if you found one that actually eats in the store you've found a good one. 30 gallons is too small, but it can do for a little while until you can make other arrangements.

Where is this place, anyway? 6000 gallons of saltwater is mighty impressive. The owner isn't, though. 

Try some other shops! I'm sure you'll find that most other shops would LOVE to take your damsels or the butterfly if they think they might be able to steal you away as a permanent customer from the other guy. The fish biz is extremely brutally cutthroat, you know.


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Worth taking TOS's advice !


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Where are you located... and is the copper band butterfly eating? If he is... and you aren't too far off... I could take him off your hands for a bit of cash. I've got a 125 gallon that would be perfect for him.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2006)

well here is the copper band update, doesn't seem like he wants to get out out of the tank. He isn't acting shaken up, he is eating fine now. He is picking at the live rock and eating little things off of it, which I've herd copper bands are know for. the damsels wont mess with him. I know 30 gallons is to small but he seems very content do you think I might be able to keep him? 

The only thing know is the clown fish I have he seems like he can't get used to the tank? The damsels aren't picking on either of the copper band or the clown.

I live in NJ.


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Copper band butterflyfish need tank minimum size of 50 gallons plus. Find him a new home because he will get bigger and need more room otherwise he will get stressed.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

ImInAcess said:


> I know 30 gallons is to small but he seems very content do you think I might be able to keep him?


I can't find the smiley where I smack my head against the wall.


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

I guess what Reefneck is trying to tell you ImInAcces is you have to find him a new home. They require a minimum of 50 gallons and larger to survive. Otherwise, he will get stressed in a smaller tank and die.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Were in NJ do you live?


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

I'd start looking for supplies of copepods for the Copper Band.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

If he's only eating things off of the liverock and not eating a diet of mysis, algea, and a formulated frozen food like butterfly diet by hikari, then I would say you better find him a bigger home... You see, your little 30 gallon tank has a limited amount of "food" that he can actually eat because of the limited amount of liverock in it. I'd give him a week to settle in and start taking food that is prepared by you... if he doesn't by that time its time to find him a bigger home with more to eat.


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