Copperband questions

[ih8dumppl]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping to get some answers to a few questions. I picked up a copperband at my LFS about a week ago. We watched him eat at the store with the same type of food we feed our other fish and since we've had him at home, he's eaten as well.

The problem is that he's just not aggressive enough to get all the food he needs. I'll pour the food in and our blue tang will just zip through and eat as quick as possible. The copperband will sit and stare at a piece for a few seconds before he tries to eat it. More often then not, he'll only be able to eat a few pieces before the tang has picked over everything.

First question is, he seems to just stay in one corner of the tank. He will swim up and down the corner and do a few laps underneath the live rock but that's pretty much it. Yesterday he was around the whole tank picking at the copepods on the rocks but today he's back in the corner. We also have a yellow tang along with the blue. The first day we had the copperband, the yellow chased him around but as the days have gone on, that's settled down a whole lot. Is stress causing him to stay in this corner of the tank?

Second question, we also have gotten him to eat clams we've purchased at the supermarket. How would I be able to get it so only the copperband can feed on the clam. The other fish go after it as well but if I'm going to buy clams for the copperband, I would rather he be the only fish to really eat it! I was thinking maybe some sort of mesh but I'm not sure how I would do that.

Any advice on these problems?

 

[chipchip]

Hi,

ive seen some constructions for CBB's like this one:

I think you could try something like that. They love to pick foods out of small holes and things.

 

[ih8dumppl]

Is that just a PVC pipe cemented on a rock? How big would I drill the holes for?

Possible stupid question, but how would he know to stick his nose in there for food? Naturally curious or just hit and miss until he tries?

 

[chipchip]

Yes, this is a PVC pipe. The holes should be enough big that he can pick mysis out with his long nose. But I never had a CBB and can't tell you how he should know but I think its his nature to pick foods out of holes so he should be curious enough.

Ive heard that ppl put frozen foods into this pipes.

But I never tried that and cant tell you more as I do not have any experience with that method.

 

[snorvich]

Good idea from chipchip. Know that CBB are not aggressive feeders and do best with non-aggressive tank mates. P. hepatus is a very aggressive feeder (and eventually, a pretty aggressive fish). CBB are "designed" to get food from small places so they seek them out.

 

[ih8dumppl]

Thanks for the comments. I should have some extra PVC so I'll try this out soon. I put in a mussel last night for him and he was eating it from my hand. He's definitely not shy at all. I made sure he had the lion's share before I let the other fish finish it off. Hopefully the PVC pipe will work out.

What about his behavior staying in the corner? Is that just the "territory" the other fish left him so he feels more comfortable there? Is this a cause for concern for now?

 

[snorvich]

Depending on tank size, he may simply be staying away from aggressive tank mates.

 

[rog2961]

I tried the PVC method with a cap and plug and it worked wonderfully, drilled two holes big enough for him to fit his snout through and he hit it immediately. I weaned him off blackworms this way.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I've seen this same problem many times on RC and it really shows the need to quarantine fish, and not just for ich. New CBBs are much easier to acclimate without all of the bullying, food competitors, and general mayhem of the DT. CBBs will usually find their niche in the pecking order, but need time alone to acclimate to new foods and captivity in general. CBBs often do not do well with aggressive tankmates (or sometimes just a tank with lots of general mayhem), even when they aren't the agressee. (My spellchecker lit this last word up???)

 

[ReeferBill]

What an awesome feeder, great idea!!!!

 

[rworegon]

+1 on QT for the CBB. I QT'd mine for 6 weeks and during that time I found out what foods he liked and which he didn't. By the end of QT he was eating aggressively and to this day he gets right in the mix with the other fish to pick out what he wants. Even competes well with the fairy wrasse and the sailfin tang.

 

[MrTuskfish]

+1 on QT for the CBB. I QT'd mine for 6 weeks and during that time I found out what foods he liked and which he didn't. By the end of QT he was eating aggressively and to this day he gets right in the mix with the other fish to pick out what he wants. Even competes well with the fairy wrasse and the sailfin tang.

Good to hear. Of course, all fish should be in a QT on arrival; you've pinpointed one of the many reasons why.

 

[rworegon]

Here he is when he was in QT:

copper band quarantine by rworegon, on Flickr

 

[ih8dumppl]

Rog2961, what kind of cap did you use for your feeder? Also, how did you put the food in the pipe, did you just put in a frozen chunk of food and let it float around and melt or did you have something in the pipe to smear food on?