this is a difficult fish to keep due to it's deliberate eating habbits. When sourcing out a copperband see if you can get one from Australia asoppossed to the Indio. They tend to be hardier and have beeter collection/transport methods. I have found LOTS of mature LR to be the key in keeping these fish, as well as a healthy pod population. they do eat small crustations. Mine likes cyclop-eeze as well.