Attacked !

[shadowboy]

Wake to up find all my fish swimming happily around, my new copperband butterfly ( that anthony said i stole from him) was swimming up to me ready to be fed. Go back to get some food come back to the tank 5 minutes later and i find the CB wedged in my feather duster rock. I stuck my hand in and gently tried to pull her out. She went in a frenzy swimming back wards, trying to free her self. Very odd the only fish i had that had got stuck in the rock my my retarded blue tang, for sure the butterfly would have more sense. I got a better look at the rock, and what do i see? One giant ass crab holding onto her nose. I run and got my mom to find the Wooden BBQ skewers :-) With the utmost care I skewered the crab, he quickly let go and my copper band swam out, missing a bit of nose and her face all ripped up. I had to dip the rock in fresh water and get tweezers to get the crab out. He was one big @$#%, so now hes in my refugium ( seeing as my mom wouldnt let me kill him) So now Im waiting to see if my butterfly will ever eat again.


tristan

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Should have left him (copperband) in my tank <insert head shaking emoticon>

Hope he survives. Kill the crab "accidentally".

Anthony

[shadowboy]

the butterflys mouth is all puffed up and cut pretty bad. alot of blodd vessels broken. Is there anything i can do for her? She tries to eat but her mouth is so swollen that she can't get her mouth open enough to. Does she have a chance of surviving? or is she a goner? Is there anything i can add to reduce the swelling? ive heard pure epson salts reduces swelling.

thanks in advance

tristan

[Johnny Reefer]

I wouldn't know about how to treat the wound, but do you at least have a QT/Hospital tank you could put it in?

Cheers,

[Beverly]

I wouldn't do anything with epsom salts and your butterfly. Don't know what to suggest, either, though. Maybe ask your question on RC in the right forum.

Sorry to hear about the butterfly's tangle with the crab I agree with Anthony and kill that freaking crab

[trilinearmipmap]

Supportive treatment ie.

Give the butterfly the best tank conditions possible to allow it to recuperate.

This might mean quarantining it in a cage inside the tank made up of eggcrate if any other fish are bothering it.

Then I would offer it small frozen food such as small or chopped mysis.

I would see if the Copperband starts to eat in a few days if it is given some solitude and no fish to compete with it for food.

Most likely it can live off its stored energy reserves for a week or two, if this gives it enough time for the mouth to heal then hopefully it may do OK.

I would not medicate at all or do any kind of dip, IMO this would just cause more stress for him.

Anyway that is what I would do.

And saute the crab with green pepper and black bean sauce.

[Aquattro]

The crab just did what crabs do. Give it a safe home in the sump. The CBB should heal quickly....

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

The crab just did what crabs do. Give it a safe home in the sump.

I agree. No need to kill it.

Cheers,

[shadowboy]

thanks for the input. She isnt stressed from the other fish and gets along with them. She has a hearty appetite and fights off my tang for food. She has no problem getting to the food but she cant eat it. Ill give 4-5 days in the main tank and see if she if the swelling goes down. I know on WWM they use epson salt for pop eye to reduce swelling, so thought mabye it would work for the butterfly as well. I dont know if they will harn the coral or not, anyone know? I understand they crab was just being a crab, and he has a spot in the refugium now, and even has a name ( which probaly isn't appropiate for canreef :-) I do have a quarantine tank , but have had nothing but bad experiences with it, and have lost more fish using it then not. all the fish are healty with no signs of ick for almost a year.

Will post how the butterflys doing in a few days. thanks for all the replies

tris

[ron101]

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

I agree. No need to kill it.

Cheers,

People do what people do - eat california rolls