Paul Burton
06-07-04, 16:17
Family: Chaetodontidae
Common Name: Copperband/Beaked Butterfly
Latin Name: Chelmon rostratus
Other Common
Members: Chaetodon auriga, Forcipiger flavissimus, Heniochus acuminatus
Habitat: Found mainly in the western Indo Pacific and ranges south to Southern Australia. Copperband’s are found in and around coral reefs where they forage and pick at a wide variety of foods ranging from coral polyps to small crustacea.
Breeding: There are no reports of this fish spawning in captivity nor are there any documented cases of this fish being observed spawning in the wild.
Feeding: Although in the wild these fish will eat a wide range of foods, in an aquarium, things can be quite different! Many aquarists, try as they might, cannot get their copperbands to feed on frozen and even live foods. Due to the way they hunt (poking their snouts into holes and crevices), some people have had success placing foods into the rockwork. Many people use coppperbands for control of Aiptasia (Glass Anemone’s), at which they can be very good. I know of some aquarists that activley allow Aiptasia to grow as a supplement to their copperbands diet.
Captive Care:
Moderate - Difficult
Add to reef system with caution
Can be hard to feed
Needs a large tank with live rockwork
Sensitive to poor water quality
Behaviour: A very actractive fish with a silvery-white background colour, orangish (copper) bands running vertically, and a ‘false eye’ to the rear of the dorsal fin. Generally a peacful, sometimes described as shy fish which will not cause problems with other tank mates, although, as already mentioned and depending on the individual specimen, they can eat both coral polyps and other invertebrates (such as tube worms). Usually these fish will gently swim around the tank picking at morsals from the rocks and sand. Once a specimen has settled in an aquarium they make lovley and if feeding well, hardy additions to the reef.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/IMG_0505%202.jpg
Tuan's aiptasia muncher!
Common Name: Copperband/Beaked Butterfly
Latin Name: Chelmon rostratus
Other Common
Members: Chaetodon auriga, Forcipiger flavissimus, Heniochus acuminatus
Habitat: Found mainly in the western Indo Pacific and ranges south to Southern Australia. Copperband’s are found in and around coral reefs where they forage and pick at a wide variety of foods ranging from coral polyps to small crustacea.
Breeding: There are no reports of this fish spawning in captivity nor are there any documented cases of this fish being observed spawning in the wild.
Feeding: Although in the wild these fish will eat a wide range of foods, in an aquarium, things can be quite different! Many aquarists, try as they might, cannot get their copperbands to feed on frozen and even live foods. Due to the way they hunt (poking their snouts into holes and crevices), some people have had success placing foods into the rockwork. Many people use coppperbands for control of Aiptasia (Glass Anemone’s), at which they can be very good. I know of some aquarists that activley allow Aiptasia to grow as a supplement to their copperbands diet.
Captive Care:
Moderate - Difficult
Add to reef system with caution
Can be hard to feed
Needs a large tank with live rockwork
Sensitive to poor water quality
Behaviour: A very actractive fish with a silvery-white background colour, orangish (copper) bands running vertically, and a ‘false eye’ to the rear of the dorsal fin. Generally a peacful, sometimes described as shy fish which will not cause problems with other tank mates, although, as already mentioned and depending on the individual specimen, they can eat both coral polyps and other invertebrates (such as tube worms). Usually these fish will gently swim around the tank picking at morsals from the rocks and sand. Once a specimen has settled in an aquarium they make lovley and if feeding well, hardy additions to the reef.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/IMG_0505%202.jpg
Tuan's aiptasia muncher!