Copperband Butterflyfish Owners - Typical Behavior For First Day

[nuxx]

Hey everyone,

We just introduced a Copperband Butterfly to our tank after about 9 weeks of QT. Also introduced five Huchtii Anthias.

The Anthias got harassed by the male Lyretail Anthias and our Yellow Bellied Blue Tang last night, but it's not really there today.

The CBB had the Black and Yellow Tangs flare at him and give him a few nips and scalpel wags. Didn't see anything too bad though.

Last night and this morning the CBB just is hanging out in the upper right hand section of the tank...

Is the normal for a newly introduced CBB?

In QT he ate the first day and never had an issue eating, except he only likes to eat brine out of everything I offered him. I thought having him eat was good enough and stuck with brine. Thought that with a larger variety of foods offered in the display, he'd pick up on some other foods as well.


Here is a video:



Tank: 120x29x31"
Fish: Tangs (Black - 5", Yellow - 3.5", YB Blue - 5", Chevron - 3"), Wrasses (Flame Pair, Common Cleaner), Anthias (5 Lyretail, 5 Huchtii), 3 Pajama Cardinals, Black Ice Clown, Pair of Crosshatch Triggers (3.5-4")

Let me know what you think :beer:

 

[stunreefer]

A fish hanging out in the upper parts of an aquarium (with no hiding places) is more often than not incredibly stressed. Personally I would socially acclimate it by separating with eggcrate or an acrylic acclimation box of suitable size. While there's a chance it will be fine it's not worth the risk, IMO.

 

[nuxx]

A fish hanging out in the upper parts of an aquarium (with no hiding places) is more often than not incredibly stressed. Personally I would socially acclimate it by separating with eggcrate or an acrylic acclimation box of suitable size. While there's a chance it will be fine it's not worth the risk, IMO.

Yeah I'm going to build a box for next time I introduce fish... don't want to stress him out further by trying to catch him now.

Guess I need to pick up some acrylic!

 

[snorvich]

A fish hanging out in the upper parts of an aquarium (with no hiding places) is more often than not incredibly stressed. Personally I would socially acclimate it by separating with eggcrate or an acrylic acclimation box of suitable size. While there's a chance it will be fine it's not worth the risk, IMO.

Yes, classic intimidation syndrome. Act quickly or it will become permanent as these are fairly shy/gentle fish.

 

[nuxx]

Yes, classic intimidation syndrome. Act quickly or it will become permanent as these are fairly shy/gentle fish.

Do you think having him in a box for a few days will remove his shyness?


Update:
Just walked up to the tank and he swam up from the back to the front of the glass for a little bit, almost 3 feet, I guess that's an improvement. Going to see if he eats tonight and how his demeanor is tomorrow. If still cowering, I'll put him in a box for a bit.

Also the tangs aren't flaring their fins anymore either...

 

[shadd89]

My yellow tang picked on my copperband for a couple weeks. I hung pictures of yellow tangs all over my tank to slow him down (seemed to work). The copperband was comfortable in the tank right from the start picking at rocks and not hiding at all. Make sure the copperband eats though. I hand fed mine the first couple weeks (mysis and brine)

 

[nuxx]

My yellow tang picked on my copperband for a couple weeks. I hung pictures of yellow tangs all over my tank to slow him down (seemed to work). The copperband was comfortable in the tank right from the start picking at rocks and not hiding at all. Make sure the copperband eats though. I hand fed mine the first couple weeks (mysis and brine)

He ate twice a day in QT for 9 weeks from day one. I haven't really noticed go after food that much the two times I fed the DT since he went in.

He looks at the food and knows what it is, we'll see tonight and tomorrow morning how he reacts to feedings. Been feeding brine each time, since that's all he really like in QT.

 

[Dmorty217]

Peter how are you ever going to stop adding fish to your tank being that you own a place that gets in all sorts of awesome fish weekly?

 

[nuxx]

Peter how are you ever going to stop adding fish to your tank being that you own a place that gets in all sorts of awesome fish weekly?

LOL...

Yeah...

It's really tough...

The way I'm doing it is saying, OK next I want "x". So I won't buy anything personally until "x" comes in. So far it's worked.

Now if "y" comes in unexpected and it's something I've always wanted... might through a wench in things...

 

[nuxx]

Little guy started eating last night and ate again this morning.

He is coming out a lot more than yesterday as well. Was with me the whole time I was around this tank this morning.

He was pretty nervous about the Crosshatches at first, now he was out eating with them and even beat one for a piece of brine this morning.

The Black and Yellow still will make him retreat a bit when they come over. I don't see any slashes or nipped fins, so I guess it's promising.

This morning:

 

[Johnseye]

You're lucky. About a month ago I introduced a CBB into my display and my Kole & Yellow Tangs, more so the Kole, bullied the CBB into a corner. He began to explore and it looked like the Kole was easing up. Then he went back to isolation in another section of the tank. A couple days later he disappeared and I found him dead under some LR.

At the same time I introduced the CBB I added two Melanarus Wrasses. The wrasses weren't bothered and were very social. I suspect the tangs weren't as intimidated because of their shape and size.

 

[nuxx]

You're lucky...

Still early on...

The Yellow Bellied Blue had it out for one of the Huchtii Anthias. Put it in the rocks and was trying to bite him non-stop. That ended after the first night.

Thought adding 6 fish at once would maybe curb some aggression. The Yellow and Black aren't really tail slapping the CBB any more, just trying to look big around him now.

 

[nuxx]

He took a turn for the worse...

After the weekend showed no interest for food and was now just pointed upwards in the front corner of the tank.

During feeding, the triggers even bumped him when going after food. The CBB didn't even flinch.

Caught him and moved him to our old frag tank... I'll see how/if he improves and decide what to do after that. Thinking of just moving him to our large frag tank until he's bigger and puts on more weight. Then trying to re-introduce with an acclimation box

 

[nuxx]

Here he is hanging out in our coral wasteland (i.e. old frag tank).