After much research, my initial Copperband success!!

[Froggy]

I have been doing a lot of research on the care of these fish and have had a reef tank since 2003. My latest tank has been restarted in Dec 2010 and the same rock has been in service since 2003.

I waited and waited on this fish and continued to research trying to improve my chances of success.

Yesterday, I found a great looking Copperband that had been at the LFS since 1/20/12 and had a rounded stomach and no signs of cysts they are susceptible to. I asked the store to feed it and they fed two separate servings of frozen mysis. The copperband gobbled every piece out of the water column each time. I could not pass on this opportunity so I pulled the trigger.

I drip acclimated and added the Copperband directly to the display ( Risky I know ). There was no fish aggression at all even from my Pacific blue tang, Kole tang, and Foxface. I was ecstatic about that. A short time later I fed frozen mysis and Rods food. Not surprising but the Copperband did not eat so early on.

This morning I fed the tank mysis and the Copperband ate several pieces out of the water column along with the other fish. Not as eagerly as the established fish but a great sign! I am hoping the copperband will eat the evening serving of Rods food. I found a local source for live blackworms also and will be buying those today as well to make sure the copperband is getting plenty of food to sustain it.

I know it is early and not a success story yet but I wanted to share my "early success" with feeding and acclimation. I have wanted this fish for many years but refused to get one until I thought my tank and I were ready to care for it. As of day #1, I am very excited!!

Joe

 

[GPB]

Congrats , I hope the CBB continues to do well. I think the smartest thing you did was to find one that you knew was already eating.

 

[Froggy]

Congrats , I hope the CBB continues to do well. I think the smartest thing you did was to find one that you knew was already eating.

Thank you,

I agree. No CBB would come home with me unless I saw it eating before purchase. I even restricted myself to waiting for one that I saw eat frozen ( mysis). A CBB eating live brine was not enough for me to risk it. I wanted it to at least be eating what I would be offering already.

Joe

 

[Recty]

That's good to hear.

The problem with CBB is not that they are really finicky eaters that people can never get to eat... they just end up being one of those fish that even if they look fat and healthy, one day they start acting weird and the next day they are dead. It's like their is a dietary requirement that they just arent getting in captive systems.

Anyway, I hope it works out well for you.

 

[Froggy]

That's good to hear.

The problem with CBB is not that they are really finicky eaters that people can never get to eat... they just end up being one of those fish that even if they look fat and healthy, one day they start acting weird and the next day they are dead. It's like their is a dietary requirement that they just arent getting in captive systems.

Anyway, I hope it works out well for you.

Hmm, interesting....

I sure have read a lot of experiences about the difficulty in getting them to feed initially. Getting them to eat, does seem to be at least part of the challenge.

I plan on feeding a variety of food. Frozen mysis, Rods food ( which is a large variety of frozen seafood etc ) and live blackworms. Through my reading, it seems worms are a "natural" food source of Copperbands in the wild. Maybe live worms included in their diet is a link to success?

Speaking of worms, I just got home with a bag full of live blackworms. I will update with how that feeding goes later on.

Thank you for the input.

Joe

 

[MrTuskfish]

Sounds good so far, I'll try not to comment on the no QT regimen. IMO & IME; success with these fish depends largely in 2 areas: the collection source (Australian fish are far superior) and a quiet environment. CBBs just don't like any aggression, or even extremely active fish. Pesky, annoying fish, like damsels, will really get to them. When they start sulking & hiding; they seldom bounce back. It took me a few fish to figure this out; but I have one in my "quiet' tank now (almost 6 yrs) and he's thriving.

 

[Froggy]

Sounds good so far, I'll try not to comment on the no QT regimen. IMO & IME; success with these fish depends largely in 2 areas: the collection source (Australian fish are far superior) and a quiet environment. CBBs just don't like any aggression, or even extremely active fish. Pesky, annoying fish, like damsels, will really get to them. When they start sulking & hiding; they seldom bounce back. It took me a few fish to figure this out; but I have one in my "quiet' tank now (almost 6 yrs) and he's thriving.

Tank mates was my big concern with having one in my 120. My pacific blue, foxface, and Kole are pretty active with the pacific being just about as active as it gets. So far no aggression seen by me, hopefully it is not happening in private.

So far there has been no hiding and the CBB has been out in the open the entire time. He doesn't even hide from me staring at him through the tank. My maroon clown did give him a chase away from the anemone once but that has been it.

I couldn't wait to try the black worms so I just fed some. The CBB ate those well also. Any suggestions on a DIY specialized feeder for the CBB to be fed the blackworms? The rest of my fish went nuts for them too !

Joe

 

[Recty]

Hmm, interesting....

I sure have read a lot of experiences about the difficulty in getting them to feed initially. Getting them to eat, does seem to be at least part of the challenge.

I plan on feeding a variety of food. Frozen mysis, Rods food ( which is a large variety of frozen seafood etc ) and live blackworms. Through my reading, it seems worms are a "natural" food source of Copperbands in the wild. Maybe live worms included in their diet is a link to success?

Speaking of worms, I just got home with a bag full of live blackworms. I will update with how that feeding goes later on.

Thank you for the input.

Joe

Getting them to eat is certainly part of the battle. I didnt mean that all CBB eat fine, it's just that the main hurdle isnt getting them to eat, it's getting them to live past 3 months without just mysteriously dying.

As varied of a diet as possible is great, people report great success with blackworms. I've never used them myself, but I've only ever had one CBB and I decided not to try another, that was back when I was first starting in the hobby and it's definitely not a good fish for a noob

 

[MrTuskfish]

IMO, blackworms, like live brine shrimp, are a great treat and a good food to get fussy fish eating; but I don't think they have to be part of any fish's regular diet. A healthy CBB should eat most anything. Lots of smaller carnivore foods and some veggies too. I feed about 75% frozen, so mine gets a good variety. (Frozen commercial foods and fresh seafood). IMO, frozen spirulina loaded BS are a great food for most butterflyfish.

 

[Froggy]

IMO, blackworms, like live brine shrimp, are a great treat and a good food to get fussy fish eating; but I don't think they have to be part of any fish's regular diet. A healthy CBB should eat most anything. Lots of smaller carnivore foods and some veggies too. I feed about 75% frozen, so mine gets a good variety. (Frozen commercial foods and fresh seafood). IMO, frozen spirulina loaded BS are a great food for most butterflyfish.

Thanks for more input.

I am hoping to eventually get my CBB to eat all the frozen fare I feed my other fish ( Mysis and Rods ). I am not keeping my hopes up on it ever eating the flake and pellet I feed but I have heard of some eating a bit of flake. Not sure how true this is.

As far as worms, I have read several sources that believe them to be important. As far as the hobbyist goes, I put a lot in the experience and years in the hobby of Paul. Here is a quote from him some time ago on the subject for reference.

Paul B - 01-19-2011, 01:18 PM
Copperbands are one of my favorite fish although I can't get them to live decades like they should, I usually get quite a few years from them. I have followed them in the sea and their main diet is live worms. They pull them from holes in the rock and that is what they should be fed. Live blackworms will greatly help them stay alive and healthy.

Thank you again for your continued input. Information sharing like this increases the success of difficult to care for species like this!

Joe

 

[DSpate]

I had a CBB that lived in my tank for months.... He was really not taking well to food for the first 4 days and I was quite nervous. Then he started taking Mysis, but wouldn't fight for it, so I actually had to feed him by hand.

After about 9 months, he just stopped eating. I tried everything. Tried a clam, tried real uncooked shrimp.. everything. Just stopped and parished.

 

[GPB]

Maybe this is a silly question but I'll ask just because I haven't seen them offerred. Where do you get live black worms?

 

[MrTuskfish]

I know Rods food gets rave reviews; but I don't think a diet of only Rods food & mysis is really adequate for any fish----much less a tank of fish. there are so many good frozen foods that you can really offer a more varied diet. (Frozen Angel diets are great for most fish too, especially butterflyfish, IMO) Formula I & II, spiulina loaded brine shrimp, Angel formulas, etc. etc. IMO & IME; all fish do better long term, with a varied diet and added vitamins, like Selcon.

 

[Froggy]

Another feeding of Mysis and blackworms today. The CBB ate his share along with the other fish. He will hopefully become more bold at feeding time as he settles in. This is only day 3 after all. The other fish still dominate feeding time right now.

I am just glad he is still eating so far. He has only refused to eat on one feeding and that was a few hours after being added to the tank.

As for Rods food, the CBB sampled it lat night and ate a couple of bites. Not sure what part of the mix he went for. I will keep trying that as well.

MrTuskfish, I am certainly open to trying and feeding other foods as well. I will get some of the frozen angel mix as well and give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

Joe

 

[Froggy]

Maybe this is a silly question but I'll ask just because I haven't seen them offerred. Where do you get live black worms?

i get mine from the LFS that offers them in my area. There are a few on line sources as well.

 

[loglew]

Froggy, I will also try and not say too much about the non QT of your CBB… But IMO the QT process with this fish is paramount. They need some time in a non-aggressive atmosphere to learn new foods and fatten up for the transition into the DT. Once they learn what to eat and build up there fat reserves they stand a much better chance in the display take. I have had my CBB for over two years and he will have been in the DT for two years next month and he has always competed for food at feeding time.
As for food I feed live black worms heavily in the QT tank along with varies frozen foods. Its main diet now seems to consist of PE Mysis, bloodworms, brine, oyster eggs and as of lately krill. I have always feed krill to my anemones and my foxfaces started going crazy for them so I would feed him a few bigger pieces so he wouldn’t pig out on the other food for the other fishes… Well now my blue tang and CBB will go after the krill and seem to love it. They are the San Francisco brand sally krill which are pretty big pieces. Sounds like you are off to a great start with yours though best of luck.

 

[Froggy]

Froggy, I will also try and not say too much about the non QT of your CBB"¦ But IMO the QT process with this fish is paramount. They need some time in a non-aggressive atmosphere to learn new foods and fatten up for the transition into the DT. Once they learn what to eat and build up there fat reserves they stand a much better chance in the display take. I have had my CBB for over two years and he will have been in the DT for two years next month and he has always competed for food at feeding time.
As for food I feed live black worms heavily in the QT tank along with varies frozen foods. Its main diet now seems to consist of PE Mysis, bloodworms, brine, oyster eggs and as of lately krill. I have always feed krill to my anemones and my foxfaces started going crazy for them so I would feed him a few bigger pieces so he wouldn't pig out on the other food for the other fishes"¦ Well now my blue tang and CBB will go after the krill and seem to love it. They are the San Francisco brand sally krill which are pretty big pieces. Sounds like you are off to a great start with yours though best of luck.

Thank you for your opinion.

I am sure you are right on with your "adjustment period" being very important to this fish that seems to be skittish to transition. I may have gotten lucky as the CBB I got had nice bulk to it and was eagerly eating mysis at the LFS.

Today was the best feeding yet! My CBB is now grouping with the other fish at the end of the tank waiting for their food to make it into the tank. My CBB is still fearful of the turkey baster but actually joined the group in diving in the cloud of food and grabbing his share.

My CBB is still not that interested in Rod's food, except a couple of the meatier pieces. Today he eagerly ate black worms and mysis. He stares at flake and pellet, chases it around the tank but no sampling yet.

Still no aggression witnessed by me. I am excited by my CBB's willingness to join the frenzy today. Maybe I got lucky with this one. I am no where to being out of the woods yet but I am looking forward to the challenge of hopefully keeping this fish longer term.

I will try to snap a picture of him later today and post him up for you guys to take a look.

Joe

 

[Froggy]

Sorry for the delay. Here is a picture from today.

Things are still going well. Today the CBB is starting to recognize the turkey baster as food. The CBB ate a LOT of blackworms from the end of the tube without interference from the other fish. The CBB also ate mysis out of the water column and is swimming together with all of the other fish. I am glad I have found a way to target feed with the turkey baster as well as broadcast feeding. Thanks for taking a look.

How do you guys in all honesty think he is looking?

 

[block head]

looks pretty good to me. rods food is just a supermarket seafood mix. he basically marketed a common clownfish breeding recipe. it is what it is. breeders and reefs are not exactly on the same page. i'd keep up the black worms and offer a varetiy of quality foods.

 

[Paul B]

He certainly looks beautiful. I always loved these fish, maybe it is their shape or their curiosity. I have also dove with them in the South Pacific. Very inquisitive fish and full of personality.
I do feed them live worms every day along with fresh clam and some mysis but I feel the worms are important as that is what they eat in the sea. But of course as Mr Tuskfish said, they can live without them. I have dove with just about all the fish I have ever kept and I take note of how they make their living in the sea.
For me, the worms also get many of my other fish spawning.
Copperbands I find have more accidents than many fish. Maybe because of their shape. My tank is only 100 gallons and very filled with rock, probably too much. Copperbands in the sea cruise over the coral heads but in my tank they have to go through the holes. I have had them chased out of the tank by a breeding pair of clownfish, I have had them stung and eaten by large anemones and I have had them stuck to intake tubes when a strainer came off. But if none of that happens, they are no problem.
Here mine is stealing baby brine from a feeder that is intended for a young skinny mandarin