Copperband

[Clams55]

Hi.

I am a fairly experienced reef keeper (have kept reefs for about 3 years now) with a 90G tank that I have had set up for a year. Current stock are as follows:

2 False clowns
1 Melanarus Wrasse
1 Christmas Wrasse
1 Yellow Wrasse
1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
1 Yellow Tang
1 Kole's Tang

All of them are feeding well and healthy.

Invert stock:
1 Bubble Coral
1 Agropora
1 Birdsnest
1 Crocea Clam
Large Xenia colony
Numerous orange mushrooms
Leather coral
Encrusting Montipora
Pistol Shrimp

Again, all healthy.

I have a 25G quarantine tank set up.

Now we come to the question:

(Rejoice, for I ask before I do stuff!)

I have a moderate Aiptasia problem, nothing to write home about, 10-20 anemones. Fairly well under control with chemical remedies, but not extinct.

I would like to enlist some help with them, and as the Pistol rules out shrimp, I was thinking a copperband. Thoughts?

:uzi: Aipstasia

 

[hotrodolds]

I have only a few weeks hands on CBB experience at this point but here's what i can offer.

I know a lot of people say to quarantine, i didnt. I almost feel that its a good thing i didnt. I did make sure it was eating mysis in the store before purchasing.

Even though it was eating it looked quite thin. When it was put in the 90g tank it immediately went to town grazing. Im speaking from an intermediate hobbiest's standpoint at best but i think it probably did the fish some good to get quick access to its natural food sources to strengthen up after collection and the lfs.

It showed very little interest in mysis in the display but after introducing live black worms it started going crazy for them and then seemingly remembered it liked to eat mysis as well.

Around the same time it started eating black worms it also exterminated every aiptasia in the tank.

Currently it seems to act "excited" when i feed pellets. It hasnt eaten any yet but displays similar behavior to when i add mysis or black worms. Perhaps the tank mate activity stimulates it or the smell of the pellets. Im thinking eventually it will start eating them.

It is much much fatter and healthier looking now and i have 0 reason to suspect any change in health coming down the road even though its been only a few weeks.

no compatibility issues. 6line, 2 clowns, Candy canes, trachy, torch, zoas, monti plates, mushrooms.

the 6 line and the CBB tend to stay together for periods of time grazing the same spots on the rock. Neat to watch

 

[kingfisherflesh]

CBB will eat corals...so just putting that on the table.

Some people that cant get them to eat will throw them browned out corals...

 

[jr_casteel1999]

i had one for about 6 months and it ate all of my apitasia . def was the best at the job too. all i can say is the fish itself does not live long. it became a victim to the koralia powerhead.

 

[Clams55]

I don't want to take a fish out of the ocean that is only going to live 6 months in my tank. Anybody have them stay alive longer?

Food wise, I have 115 lbs of LR, a veritable smorgasbord of the standard "red feather dusters", tons of pods, etc.

 

[fullmonti]

I haven't had mine for along time yet, but it has fattened up & seems to be very happy. It hasn't bothered any corals (my tank is a 180 almost all sps). Eats mysis, bloodworms, aptasia, & picks at the rocks all day. I'm hoping he will continue to do well long term.

 

[davocean]

Mines a model citizen, ate all my apt, never harmed any corals, but for the most part they are sensitive, no gaurantee of eating apt or eating at all for that matter.

 

[Clams55]

I wonder how much of the Copperband's "delicate-ness" is just poor collection and shipping. I'll be getting mine from LiveAquaria (possibly diver's den, if available) so when it gets to me it should be in tip top shape.

Still waiting for anybody who has kept one more than a year.

@daveocean: how long have you had it?

 

[fullmonti]

Another thread about copperbands, some kept longer.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2037956

 

[davocean]

I wonder how much of the Copperband's "delicate-ness" is just poor collection and shipping. I'll be getting mine from LiveAquaria (possibly diver's den, if available) so when it gets to me it should be in tip top shape.

Still waiting for anybody who has kept one more than a year.

@daveocean: how long have you had it?

I've had mine like a year and and 4 months.
The sensitivity has always been an issue w/ these guys, I know I tried at least 3 over a period of years and finally gave up after lack of success.
I'm kind of surprised at myself for even trying again this time around, but I had a bad outbreak of aptasia, and our local club had a couple that only ate apt and were passed around members, so I figured if mine didn't eat prep'd foods, thats what I would do, donate to those in need.
I was so stoked when I saw him eat mysis, and now eats like a pig.
The only neg is I no longer have any kind of feather dusters in my tank, and I had a lot of those little ones, but oh well, I'm over it, and I'm apt free!

 

[davocean]

Every thread should have pics, so here's my CBB!

 

[scooter86]

Had mine for 2 years. Prolific aiptasia eater, left sps alone. Lost him during a tank crash. He was from the now defunct marine center. Had to feed him live clams while he was in 6 week quarantine, but he eventually took to mysis.

 

[Clams55]

Do you think he would eat live brine-shrimp right off the bat? Yes, i know, they're the mega big macs of the aquarium world.

 

[Clams55]

@daveocean, scooter: Are your CBBs in reef tanks?
I think I can see a coral in the background of that pic, not sure.

 

[davocean]

Yep, no sweat w/ corals w/ mine.
I don't hear too many comments on nipping, biggest issue is eating prep'd foods.
Black worms seem to be the best way to start them out if being too picky, and I was going to try that, but I got lucky and didn't need to.
My tank.

 

[Clams55]

I've heard that the Australian ones are better. Thoughts?

 

[FloatingFish]

I had one for 8 months or so. He was eating rods food and picking at therocks all day I thought I had a winner. Came home one day and he was laying on the bottom of the tank for no apparent reason. Never bothered my corals or clams.

 

[r2nj]

I've had mine for over a year. I had aptasia pop up here and there. Since I've had the CCB, I haven't seen one since. As someone else mentioned, they eat featherdusters as quickly as aptasia. When I first got the CBB, it would only eat live blackworns and live brine shrimp. After a couple months, it finally ate frozen mysis. I feed my tank different frozen foods. It gets excited over any food I throw in, but the only frozen food it eats is mysis. It's in a mixed reef with zoos, LPS and SPS. It has always been a model citizen.

 

[Clams55]

Thanks for all your help. I sounds as though a Australian CBB would be a good addition to my tank.

 

[el aguila]

I picked mine up from an LFS - going out of business and had him in the store for four months. I know the owner, and he was very careful of where he purchased fish like these. Haven't had a problem since day one. Loves to eat Mysis, black worms, Rods (black worms are good to have on hand for finicky butterflies when trying to get them to eat). Here is a pic that I took yesterday: