Copperbanded Butterflyfish

[Reefer Madness]

Does any know if you can keep a copperband with a clam? I think he keeps on picking on my clam.

[SAW39]

Clams aren't a natural food for the genus, so it's probably a case of the fish mistakenly picking at what he thinks is food.

[amcarrig]

Originally Posted by SAW39

Clams aren't a natural food for the genus, so it's probably a case of the fish mistakenly picking at what he thinks is food.

I'm not sure where that info comes from but a copperband will indeed eat clams. The only copperband that I had that did not eat clams came from Australia.

[SAW39]

Amcarrig,
Bob Fenner and "EricR", on wetwebmedia.com, posted that info in one of the forums on Copperband Butterflys.

[amcarrig]

Originally Posted by SAW39

Amcarrig,
Bob Fenner and "EricR", on wetwebmedia.com, posted that info in one of the forums on Copperband Butterflys.

I guess that in the wild, clams are not the fishes natural food but in an aquarium, Copperbands have a bad reputation for nipping at clam mantles. Perhaps it's out of boredom or they just don't realize what they had been missing when in the wild They've also been known to nip at sps corals.

[Reefer Madness]

He was picking at my clam and i also think he was messing with my BTA cause its not looking to good. I ended up grabing the copperband with a net.

I took him back to the local fish store and they said they would give me full creidt with in 48 hours if he was still alive. $30

[Monacle]

good idea.... copperbands are great for getting aptaisia, but they are notorious for being "pickers" in the aquarium. I love the fish, but every one I've had has picked at this or that. Another thing that happens is that uneaten food will sometimes settle near something and it will just appear that he is reaching in there to pick at something with his big long nose, but is just getting the uneaten food. Keeping some "nori" sushi wrapper in a salad clip on the glass will keep them from doing that sometimes as well. Just my experiences.