Copperband no longer eating

[dusty16]

So I've had this copperband for over a month now. It went through quarantine and always ate frozen mysis right from the start. The past few days it hasnt eaten a thing that I have seen. Any tips or food I should try to get it eating again?

Tank parameters are fine. No changes to anything. Other fish are all fine. It shows interest in the food and stares it down but doesn't eat it.

[spit.fire]

So I've had this copperband for over a month now. It went through quarantine and always ate frozen mysis right from the start. The past few days it hasnt eaten a thing that I have seen. Any tips or food I should try to get it eating again?

Tank parameters are fine. No changes to anything. Other fish are all fine. It shows interest in the food and stares it down but doesn't eat it.

have you tried aiptasia?

[dusty16]

have you tried aiptasia?

No I havent. I thought people generally dont want that in their tanks :question:

[dusty16]

http://i.imgur.com/9099IIR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/L3swM7d.jpg

Overall hes pretty thin except the belly area. Is that normal?

[spit.fire]

i find that without aiptasia they get skinnny and die

[crimper]

i find that without aiptasia they get skinnny and die

Not True at all. I got a couple of Aiptasia before, after a couple of weeks all aiptasia got wiped out and never seen one again.

I have my copperband for more than I year now. I feed him chopped Shrimp and chopped Clams. He is fat and tough, will always stand up for him self when get bullied by my yellow tang.

The key is to chopped the shrimps and clams in tiny pieces.

[crimper]

you can also try this approach.

https://youtu.be/8htR9pTO0Tk

I know Walter (ReefPilot) has some video on how to train your CB to eat. Just do a search on Reef Pilot's posts. I think he used some PVC and poke a bunch of holes that only fits the CB snout. Then place the chopped shrimps or clams inside the PVC. This will prevent other fishes and inverts on eating his food.

Good Luck.

[whatcaneyedo]

Try raw clam or mussel as Crimper has suggested. I had a CBB for I think 6 years that loved them in addition to its regular diet of Mysis. I never bothered cutting up the mollusks, I just pried them open then threw them into the tank. More importantly though I believe they need a large and very mature system with lots of naturally occurring prey items to choose from, especially while settling in. Once established I discovered that I had to feed mine at least 3 times a day otherwise it would start sampling coral.

[toytech]

Very hard fish to get eating , and even harder to get them to put on weight . People suggest live blackworms , clams , muscles , try a variety and feed the other fish at the same time in a different area so the cbb gets a chance to eat.

[dusty16]

Alright. Ill go grab some clam or mussel in the morning. Hopefully he starts to eat again. Thanks guys

[Bblinks]

There is a good video on YouTube where the guy drilled out a dozen of holes in a one inch pvc tube and capped off both ends without glueing them together, he would start by using clam and other natural food to feed then slowly replace it with mysis and other prep food. Mine are eating mysis soaked in garlic and selcom like no buddy's business. I feed once a day and he is healthy and fat. I have always had good luck with pe mysis but it's all in the particular fish's personality. Gl

[rishu_pepper]

I have tons of live blackworms at the moment. My cbb absolutely destroys them. Let me know if you want a pinch, the magic is real.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[rishu_pepper]

I'd like to add that I tried the "drilled hole in an apparatus" method, but it did not work on my CBB. I tried several items in the beginning, but what got it started was frozen bloodworm. Once it got eating that, then mysis (which it previously did not eat) was on the menu. But nothing compares to live blackworms. He attacks them very aggressively, competing with the other messy eaters. No fish in my system rejects live BW. From what I've read, it's God's gift to marine aquarium fish.

[paddyob]

Really? Are people still having this conversation?

After years of these fish doing poorly, and being documented again and again, people still get shocked by this. It's funny and sad at the same.

[toytech]

Im 0-3 on these fish and wont try again , between the poor eating habits , parasites , and bacteria infections its just too hard .

[Bblinks]

Mine is healthy and happy going on a year, once established they are quite hardy...maybe it's not the fish but the fish keeper...just kidding.

[toytech]

Its the establishing that's hard , ive seen tons in stores and most are thin , uninterested in picking at rock , and have bacterial infections starting . They just don't transport well.

[Apo Reefer]

Mine is healthy and happy going on a year, once established they are quite hardy...maybe it's not the fish but the fish keeper...just kidding.

I Agree :lol:

I think I should raised some and train them to eat aiptasia then sell them after they are seattled and eating. Anybody interested? What would be a good price for a trained aiptasia, clam, shrimp eating CB? :twised:

[dusty16]

I Agree :lol:

I think I should raised some and train them to eat aiptasia then sell them after they are seattled and eating. Anybody interested? What would be a good price for a trained aiptasia, clam, shrimp eating CB? :twised:

If you could get mine to start eating again that would be great :lol:


Put a fresh clam in the tank today for a while. No interest. Will try black worms tomorrow.

[crimper]

If you could get mine to start eating again that would be great :lol:


Put a fresh clam in the tank today for a while. No interest. Will try black worms tomorrow.

Black worm or Blood worm will for sure will encourage him to eat.

[dusty16]

No luck with live black worms. Showed no interest at all. Still no obvious signs of any illness.