Copperband Butterfly Fish

[sevenyearnight]

I read something somewhere that some people use some toxin to catch wild fish, and that they don't tend to live much past a few months. This may have been a contributing factor. I havev approximately 100 or so lbs of live rock, a refugium with pods and aiptasia, and chaeto. Octopus skimmer. Nitrates were undetectable, everything else was 0 and every other possible test showed exactly at optimal/normal levels. My cbf was grazing, eating mysis soaked in vitamins and omegas. Very active, friendly, good weight, no sunken stomach, no signs of disease. Zero stress, very peaceful teammates. But she just suddenly died this morning. Everyone else, inverts, the scaless fish, everyone acting like nothing is wrong.
So I suppose this is either not a tank fish or maybe she was caught with a chemical. I feel horrible. She was stolen from her home and I guess there wasn't enough information online about diet and care, perhaps she may have had a deficiency. I thought I would have her for years according to my set up. I hate that I made a bad decision thinking it would work. I just hope she didn't suffer long.
I would suggest avoiding this fish, the stories we found after seemed to be too common.
I'm so unhappy, she was such a lovely fish.

 

[xtlosx]

I have wanted a CBBF for a LONG time but have avoided it because they are a notoriously difficult fish to keep.. They take a lot of dedication just to get them eating frozen most of the time.

Sorry for your loss, but don't beat yourself up too bad about it. It comes with the territory with these fish.

 

[sevenyearnight]

Yeah, we can all fall into that chronically unique type of thinking. It just seemed like everything I read said that if they are eating prepared foods with vitamins, grazing, and the nitrates are low, they'll live many years. But only after her unfortunate passing did I read about the mysterious unexplained deaths. People who have recently purchased CBBF have said they in the past had them live many many years, I think someone even had one for 8 years. Then a new one, acting just like the last one, didn't last more than a few months. So I'm leaning more towards they might be caught in the wild using a chemical, more than it being a nutritional deficit. But then again, I can't prove either one.
I'm just going to stick with captive bred, because I don't know how to check the source of how they were captured. I also don't know enough about which species are prevalent enough in the wild, I don't want a rare fish taken from an already small breeding pool.

 

[Derick242]

I think it's the arsenic poisoning that immobilizes the fish and they are caught and sold. Idk how often it goes on now a days though.

 

[Indymann99]

unfortunately cyanide fishing is still common in many parts of the world..

http://www.braaschphotography.com/indexphotos1/indexphotosh/077Endangered.jpg

 

[ohioreef71]

I also wonder about poison being used to catch fish. I bought a CBB that was super healthy and eating at the fish store. I had in QT for 30 days and only used prazipro. He was great in my tank always ate frozen food,and very active.I had him for about 3 months. One morning he's gasping for air. I was told swim bladder failed.

 

[steamer51]

Years ago fish were collected using cyanide to make them easier to catch. Places that sell fish are now advertising that this method is not used for "their" fish. I believe this method is still used at least by some collectors and also have no way to verify that it is not from a particular dealer. I have also had CBB and other fish eat well and do great for a couple of months and then mysteriously die with no sign of disease or malnutrition. I think cyanide is still used in some cases by collectors. The best thing we can do is report these deaths to the LFS or dealer, not as an accusation but just inform them they may be dealing with the wrong supplier. If enough people do perhaps the dealers will further investigate their suppliers and change to others that do not use cyanide.

 

[pciscott]

I have had one for 2 years, and he will clean Aptaisia off frags that I move into my main display for cleaning. I have a spot I put them and he is trying to get the glass anemones before I can set them down. He eats mysis but passes on most other foods. I think him eating the Aptaisia once a week helps his diet, but just a guess. I bought three at the same time and this is the only one who made it so yes they are delicate. Not a single Aptaisia or small fan in my display and unfortunately no Acans as he picks at them until they melt. Does not seem to bother any other corals, but does mess with snail tentacles at times. He is in with a bunch of large fish and he does not give in to aggression and is a tough fish. He is about 4.5 inches now, but I got him very small. I hope he is with me for a long time and sorry to hear about your loss. I would keep your eye out for a established Copperband, a friend broke down a beautiful display for a move and friends were fighting over the Copperband more than his coral. I need to make a video of him cleaning coral, amazing how he can rip a large Apt. Out in the blink of an eye!