Thread: butterfly ???
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Old 11-27-2011, 06:39 PM
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Butterfly fish are actually my favorite and I have been successful with both Copperbands and Pearlscales. It is best if you can first acclimatize them for 2 months in a separate quarantine tank. There you can get them feeding and healthy before adding them to your display tank where they might have to compete for food with other tank mates, or worse, be harassed by them.

However, since you are past that point, you will have to try and get him comfortable first in your display tank. This might take a few days. Make sure he has good places to hide where he can feel safe. Adding a piece of PVC pipe to hide in can help.

Once he is comfortable, he should come out and start looking around for food. I found that frozen PE Mysis was a good first food to entice the most finicky butterfly fish. If the other fish are grabbing it first, try using a turkey baster to concentrate the food closer to where he hangs out.

Once you get him feeding PE Mysis, wean him off the turkey baster and get him feeding with his other tank mates. Eventually, he should start eating other foods, too. You might have to starve him a bit for that. I have my butterfly fish eating almost everything, and mostly dry foods now. And that includes my Copperband.

I have read that the Chaetodon Kleini is an easier butterfly fish to keep, so hopefully he will work out for you. Good luck, and keep us informed of your progress. I could share a few more tricks to get him feeding if necessary.
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