Copperband Incoming!

[Lasse]

In your case - it is the among the first introduced to your tank - it means that is not so much competition at feeding time. Also - if it is pre QT at Dr Reef´s facility - it must already eat frozen food. Just ask what he feeds with.

They're shy and somewhat skittish, especially early on, so make sure there is sufficient ways to break line of sight with you outside the tank.

I think that this is a very important advise and be sure that he/she have hiddingplaces too. With this type of fish I would be careful to have it in a QT tank for a too long period - especially if it can´t behave naturally in the QT tank. I would take some of the stones from the DT - put it in the QT tank and do a daily WC from the DT into the QT tank and move it over as soon as possible. The WC is because I have notice that it is much easier to adapt a newcomer to an existing tank if they have gone in the same water for a while ( I have done test that indicate that the smell of the fishes have importance for level of acceptances) If it is not accepted by your clowns - they will stress the copperband. If they accept the copperband - their feeding behavior will help get the newcomer to eat too (IMO). If the clowns had not already been there - I would have ad the pre QT copperband directly to the DT.

Natural feeding behavior of a copperband



Not so natural feeding behaviour of the same copperband - it is eating freshwater copepods



Sincerely Lasse

 

[Harpo]

What is the black thing in the first post

 

[Reef Wizard]

In your case - it is the among the first introduced to your tank - it means that is not so much competition at feeding time. Also - if it is pre QT at Dr Reef´s facility - it must already eat frozen food. Just ask what he feeds with.


I think that this is a very important advise and be sure that he/she have hiddingplaces too. With this type of fish I would be careful to have it in a QT tank for a too long period - especially if it can´t behave naturally in the QT tank. I would take some of the stones from the DT - put it in the QT tank and do a daily WC from the DT into the QT tank and move it over as soon as possible. The WC is because I have notice that it is much easier to adapt a newcomer to an existing tank if they have gone in the same water for a while ( I have done test that indicate that the smell of the fishes have importance for level of acceptances) If it is not accepted by your clowns - they will stress the copperband. If they accept the copperband - their feeding behavior will help get the newcomer to eat too (IMO). If the clowns had not already been there - I would have ad the pre QT copperband directly to the DT.

Natural feeding behavior Of a copperband



Not so natural feeding behaviour of the same copperband - it is eating freshwater copepods



Sincerely Lasse

Thank you and the clowns literally picked a corner and dont venture far haha Yet... They are more like chickenfish than clownfish they are still young Thank you for the extra info.

 

[Reef Wizard]

What is the black thing in the first post

That is a CBB feeder I made. If he sticks his beak in there he can get food. I was reading its easier to get them to eat from a crevice or hole than out of the water column. I can load food in that and its magnetic through the glass. I added slots to see if the food is being eaten as well and to know if its empty as I can see through inside of the barrel chamber

 

[karsa]

I got my CBB from Dr Reef. Mine came in healthy but wasn’t eating at first and I ended up making the same feeder but it never used it. I think it was just the change in environment because within a week he was eating any frozen I put in the tank. Think he just needed to get comfortable with the other fish. I think the more comfortable you can make the observation tank and then if you can put it in an acclimation box youll be better off

 

[Reef Wizard]

I got my CBB from Dr Reef. Mine came in healthy but wasn’t eating at first and I ended up making the same feeder but it never used it. I think it was just the change in environment because within a week he was eating any frozen I put in the tank. Think he just needed to get comfortable with the other fish. I think the more comfortable you can make the observation tank and then if you can put it in an acclimation box youll be better off

Yeah its just something I added to my options I want as many as possible to increase odds of success.

 

[Sharkey18]

I have started a lot of Copperbands with success and I always follow the same plan.

1) I keep them separate from the display, in my case I keep them in the sump
2) I feed live brine shrimp that I hatch.

They don't go into the display until I am sure they are eating well and starting to transition to frozen. Frozen mysis is usually my go to.

I have one coming in January and I might steal some of your ideas!

Good luck!

 

[Reef Wizard]

I have started a lot of Copperbands with success and I always follow the same plan.

1) I keep them separate from the display, in my case I keep them in the sump
2) I feed live brine shrimp that I hatch.

They don't go into the display until I am sure they are eating well and starting to transition to frozen. Frozen mysis is usually my go to.

I have one coming in January and I might steal some of your ideas!

Good luck!

Good luck as well.

Mine will be here next week!

 

[TCoach]

Would you mind sharing the .stl file for the feeder? I'm looking to get a CBB this week, and I think that would be very helpful.

Thanks,
-Chris

 

[vahegan]

I am in the same boat, and doing similar preparations, although not that extensive as yours. In terms of food, I think it is worth considering the addition of live blackworms (Lumbriculus or Tubifex, whatever is available) to your list of foods. Since copperbands are worm eaters, I believe they should readily go for these type of worms. In fact, I had used live tubifex with great success for weaning most types of saltwater fish into eating in captivity. For example, I weaned quite a few mandarin fish, both spotted and ornate, and was able to keep three in a small 20 gallon tank for years using it as their main food (fortified by soaking in selcon before feeding) - they were even showing spawning behavior, even though I have never seen actual release of eggs. The only fish that not ever considered trying it out were the regal angels...

 

[Reef Wizard]

I am in the same boat, and doing similar preparations, although not that extensive as yours. In terms of food, I think it is worth considering the addition of live blackworms (Lumbriculus or Tubifex, whatever is available) to your list of foods. Since copperbands are worm eaters, I believe they should readily go for these type of worms. In fact, I had used live tubifex with great success for weaning most types of saltwater fish into eating in captivity. For example, I weaned quite a few mandarin fish, both spotted and ornate, and was able to keep three in a small 20 gallon tank for years using it as their main food (fortified by soaking in selcon before feeding) - they were even showing spawning behavior, even though I have never seen actual release of eggs. The only fish that not ever considered trying it out were the regal angels...

Yeah thats about the only thing I dont have as far as food goes.

 

[blazn]

Good luck with your Copperband! I purchased one from Dr. Reef last year and I provided every type of food (including live black worms & white worms) and it never recognized food in the water column. I also figured if it made it thru quarantine at Dr. Reef's that it would already be eating prepared foods (at least frozen mysis that Mike feeds). All it ever would eat is masstick that I'd 'paste' onto a rock and freeze prior to putting into the DT and it perished within a month. I did not isolate it in a tank by itself though, as I figured it would do best in my DT with all the 'live' rock, so hopefully you'll have a better outcome by isolating it until it is eating well.

I definitely did not want to put another CB thru that process again so I didn't order another. I did happen to 'stumble across' one this year at my LFS which was eating frozen mysis/LRS 'like a champ' as they said, and I jumped on that purchase and it's thriving in my DT. It still will only eat frozen, and is picky at what frozen it will eat (LRS is its favorite & main staple). I do provide live black worms and it has yet to be interested in them. A Copperband is my favorite fish and I feel so fortunate to have one doing well. I hope you have a great experience with yours!

 

[Reef Wizard]

Just an update on my CBB. I have had him for a little over a week and it took him about 4 days to eat after shipment.

Three days in the observation tank. I decided to move him to display.

But blood worms soaked in garlic guard seemed to be his favorite I do think he ate some masstick but I havent physically seen it. He did a few poops and it looked like what I would think would be masstick being bloodworms are not greenish lol. This morning he ate blood worms straight from my long coral feeder.

He will try the occasional brine shrimp but kind of just spits it back out into tiny pieces

But so far so good he is in with the clowns and the shrimp in the main display now and doing great.

 

[OrionN]

I am glad that he eats for you. Hope he is doing well at the 1/2 year mark.
Beautiful fish. I always have one in my reef.

 

[Reef Wizard]

He is doing great! I feed with a coral feeder to make sure he gets the food and he is always at the top waiting on his meal. He senses when the pumps turn off to know its feed time. Still working on getting his weight up to my liking.

Unfortunately all my fish are in QT while display is fallow. My foxface had about 5 or so white spots on him over a week and while it wasnt many spots like ich usually is. I made the decision to QT all fish and treat as if it was ich no one else in my tank ever showed spots or symptoms.

Here is him in QT this morning

 

[blazn]

Looks like a nice healthy CB! So glad that he's identifying food. It appears you're on your way to having a successful CB addition. Great job & enjoy!!

 

[blazn]

I am glad that he eats for you. Hope he is doing well at the 1/2 year mark.
Beautiful fish. I always have one in my reef.

So cool seeing two CBs together and both are so nice and 'chunky'!!

 

[Reef Wizard]

Just to update everyone on this thread. Copperband is now eating LRS as well as the worms. He doesnt eat out of the water column but picks the bits off the bottom.

Im stoked!!

 

[blazn]

Just to update everyone on this thread. Copperband is now eating LRS as well as the worms. He doesnt eat out of the water column but picks the bits off the bottom.

Im stoked!!

That's awesome, you have a survivor!! I expect he'll eventually start to recognize food in the water column over time. Thanks for the update, as it's always great to "see" CB success!!

 

[Troylee]

Just to update everyone on this thread. Copperband is now eating LRS as well as the worms. He doesnt eat out of the water column but picks the bits off the bottom.

Im stoked!!

I got a wild one about a month ago and tried an acclimation box in my display in fear of my tang gang destroying him! He kept darting and bouncing off the sides so I let him go after an hour and wished him the best lol… tangs bullied him for a few days and he hid in the corner… he finally came out and would only pick rocks for about 2 weeks and now he readily accepts frozen brine and mysis as he sees all the other fish swarming and eating.