Copperbands not for me

[paddyob]

I cant recall... But what happened to the first two?

Did you not take one back as it was very Ill or thinning?

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Sad to hear about the deaths. I have had three Copperbands now, and none have died on me. Currently I just have one, and he is happy as can be in my 100g with the other fish. He is just over a year old now.

The secret, I think, is quarantine for a long time (at least 2 months), and get them feeding well on a variety of foods. I got mine trained over to dry foods, and that's mostly all my current one eats right now. Still won't eat pellet or flake food, but loves his freeze dried Mysis and Plankton foods.

Yellow Tangs are especially nasty to new fish, and that was the toughest hurdle mine had to overcome when put in the display tank. But by strengthening him on food while in quarantine, he met the challenge quite well, and adapted quickly to the big tank and his new mates.

I have a few other butterflys in the same tank, and I think they seem to give each other some comfort, and he lost his timidity pretty fast with them around.

The Copperband is definitely my favorite fish.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by paddyob

I cant recall... But what happened to the first two?

Did you not take one back as it was very Ill or thinning?

Yes, I returned the first one to the LFS after 2 months, because I couldn't get him to eat, and he was getting pretty thin. I made the mistake of throwing him in the display tank right away (didn't have a QT then), and because of the other aggressive tank mates, I was not able to get any food to him before the others gobbled it all up. I had a mature tank, so he obviously was getting some food in the live rock, pods, small aiptasia, I guess, or whatever critters he could find. He would actively hunt after the tank lights went out (and room lights still on), and early morning before the tank light came on. But he was gradually losing weight.

That's why I am such as strong advocate of quarantining them first, not just for disease prevention, but to get them feeding and build up their strength before going into the display tank. I'm sure I could have got that first one feeding and healthy if I had a QT.

So a few months later, I set up a proper QT tank, and refugium, and tried again with 2 Copperbands this time. But unlike my Pearlscale Butterflys (which I also have), Copperbands don't get along well in the same tank. I did however get them both feeding well, and kept them apart with an eggcrate divider. So I sold one, and moved the other one to my display tank, and he is still doing great. Here is an old You-tube of them in the QT, when I was converting them over to dry food. You've probably seen it before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fQjAZjafxM

[rickcasa]

I'm amazed reef pilot!! Great video! I will try this on my newest one. CBs are my favourite fish too and I also wanted multiples in my reef tank but it's not gonna happen. I've never seen my docile CB turn into such a brute as when I introduced the 2nd one.