Copperbanded Help!

[Manda0597]

So update everyone: the new guy has been acting as he should today and eating the mysis I fed this morning. He has been busily foraging on rocks all day. Let's hope it stays this way!

 

[ApoIsland]

So update everyone: the new guy has been acting as he should today and eating the mysis I fed this morning. He has been busily foraging on rocks all day. Let's hope it stays this way!

That's a great start. You will most likely need to figure out a way to feed him separate from the other fish though. The CBB requires much more food than other fish. I feed mine 1/3 to 1/2 cube of PE mysis out of a net every morning. He stays fat but barely grows on that amount. If I fed each of my tangs that amount they would be 8 inches within a couple months.

 

[weamdog]

That's great. Just thinking how I'd approach this again if i were ready. Maybe setup some sort of feeder for him such as a modifed bristle worm trap that you could fill with food and he could hunt. Innovative marine sells a frozen food feeder with holes that he could poke in for frozen mysis but he probably would not venture that high in the tank. One thing you might want to do is load the tank up with large pods to sustain him in between feedings since your tank is fairly new.

 

[Manda0597]

That's great. Just thinking how I'd approach this again if i were ready. Maybe setup some sort of feeder for him such as a modifed bristle worm trap that you could fill with food and he could hunt. Innovative marine sells a frozen food feeder with holes that he could poke in for frozen mysis but he probably would not venture that high in the tank. One thing you might want to do is load the tank up with large pods to sustain him in between feedings since your tank is fairly new.

I have alot of decent sized pods in the tank so hopefully he eats those

 

[ApoIsland]

I have alot of decent sized pods in the tank so hopefully he eats those

I'm sure he will eat those but you will either need to constantly replenish or find a way to target feed that fish once most of the pods are gone. There is a reason people have a hard time with these fish and in my belief it's almost always starvation related.

 

[weamdog]

I keep a big ball of chaeto in my 125g to keep my mandarins supplied with pods. There is also a thing out there called the pod hotel, but it's a waste of money. When I had my CBB, he would eat a couple dozen black worms at a time, I was wondering where he was putting them all. They must have very high metabolisms.

 

[User1]

I keep a big ball of chaeto in my 125g to keep my mandarins supplied with pods. There is also a thing out there called the pod hotel, but it's a waste of money. When I had my CBB, he would eat a couple dozen black worms at a time, I was wondering where he was putting them all. They must have very high metabolisms.

Well one thing to remember is the worms we feed are not a natural food source for the fish. What that means nutrition wise I know not. However common sense says it is something. How far gut load goes again I don't know. I think that is why many will suggest clams on half shells for the bacteria or LRS foods for their probiotics.

Again - these fish are known to be a challenge and placing them in a new tank is putting the burden on the hobbyist to provide a constant food source. Try the clam or oyster if you haven't already. Visit the LFS and see if they carry LRS foods. You can also try some worms but don't buy a lot so you don't end up with a lot.

If it is picking at the frozen good. Keep it up and maybe split your feeding in two parts to feed a couple times a day. You have some good advise here - keep at it.

 

[Manda0597]

Well one thing to remember is the worms we feed are not a natural food source for the fish. What that means nutrition wise I know not. However common sense says it is something. How far gut load goes again I don't know. I think that is why many will suggest clams on half shells for the bacteria or LRS foods for their probiotics.

Again - these fish are known to be a challenge and placing them in a new tank is putting the burden on the hobbyist to provide a constant food source. Try the clam or oyster if you haven't already. Visit the LFS and see if they carry LRS foods. You can also try some worms but don't buy a lot so you don't end up with a lot.

If it is picking at the frozen good. Keep it up and maybe split your feeding in two parts to feed a couple times a day. You have some good advise here - keep at it.

Thank you for the advice. I have been feeding twice a day. Feeding on one side of tank for my tangs and target feeding this guy. I'm going to try clam on half shell to fatten him up as well. Thank you