[clown shrimp]

What is the best way to feed a copper band butterfly fish, he is about 2 inches long,
P.S. He is picking at the LR

[mtfabel]

Mine eats mysis. But butterflys can be tricky to feed, especially copperbandeds. See if your fish store has live brine shrimp. Most likely it will eat those.

[blind]

live food is the best way to get a fish to eat usually.

[carmanimports]

try the red algae or green algae take it and soak in the salt water for a while break it up like flake and put a little at a time thats what i had to do after trying all the other food afrter he started to eat he wood dine with the others

[Mattfish]

We've got a copper banded on our wish list and hope to get one in the next week or so.... everyone else in our tank eats mysis - hopefully our new friend will also... any advantages to live brine over frozen mysis?

[glampka]

Copperbands can be very finicky eaters & are difficult to keep. Be absolutely sure that the fish is eating before you buy it & even then there's no guarantee it will eat in your tank.
Copperband Butterflyfish - Chelmon rostratus

I would look for a different fish.

[Mattfish]

Very good advice - thanks Gary! I'm learning a lot more about buying fish. When you first start, there are so many things to learn. I'm certain that our flame Angel died because of a combination of things including that we didn't know how to evaluate and choose a healthy one.

There's a bad tendency when you're new to this hobby (more like way of life...) to choose a fish by virtue of it simply being available at the lfs - and taking it home right away - rather than making a few visits over a few days to ensure it's healthy, eating right, free of disease, swimming and interacting comfortably and naturally, etc.

I'm learning!