Lost another Copperband...

[Lucas815]

Hi,

I'm really bummed out...

3rd try on a Copperband.

This one was looking healthy and somewhat fat at the LFS. It ate an amphipod before my eyes.

Brought it back home, acclimated it for 2 hours by putting water in the bag every 15 minutes.

Put it straight in my 48" display tank.

It looked rattled and was staying in a corner, but I figured it would take a day or 2 before it would be used to its new tank.

This morning, less than 24 hours later, it's laying on its side at the bottom of the tank, still breathing but almost dead.

Everyone else in the tank is happy, as usual.

No agressive tank mate.

Did I do something wrong, or I just picked a fish that was already condemned?

 

[PeterC99]

Something was wrong with the fish when you got it. Copperbands are tough fish to keep but should last more than a day or 2 without food.

 

[i cant think]

Hi,

I'm really bummed out...

3rd try on a Copperband.

This one was looking healthy and somewhat fat at the LFS. It ate an amphipod before my eyes.

Brought it back home, acclimated it for 2 hours by putting water in the bag every 15 minutes.

Put it straight in my 48" display tank.

It looked rattled and was staying in a corner, but I figured it would take a day or 2 before it would be used to its new tank.

This morning, less than 24 hours later, it's laying on its side at the bottom of the tank, still breathing but almost dead.

Everyone else in the tank is happy, as usual.

No agressive tank mate.

Did I do something wrong, or I just picked a fish that was already condemned?

As said above, CBBs tend to go weeks and not get fed so it wouldn’t be starvation - Unless it didn’t feed at all in the LFS but I doubt that if you said it looked fat and healthy. It may have had an internal parasite, but I think that the fish was already ill in the shop and you didn’t notice. If you want to try another then, I recommend trying to get one that has been in there for days 2-3 weeks so then you know it’s almost completely established to captivity when you get it.

 

[Yazannreef]

2 hours acclimation is awfully too long. What was your acclimation set up( heater/ volume of water/ salinity differential/ water movement via pump while acclimating??)

I always try to get the fish close or exact water parameters from LFS so I don't have to put it thru a prolonged acclimation process specially if the fish is to be known finicky.

Maximum is 1/2 hour and to the quarantine tank.

 

[i cant think]

2 hours acclimation is awfully too long. What was your acclimation set up( heater/ volume of water/ salinity differential/ water movement via pump while acclimating??)

I always try to get the fish close or exact water parameters from LFS so I don't have to put it thru a prolonged acclimation process specially if the fish is to be known finicky.

Maximum is 1/2 hour and to the quarantine tank.

Not everyone is able to have a QT tank, I’m one so we have to take that risk with finicky fish. I know most people have giant QT tanks for all these hard to keep fish but really, I find they do better when they’re in the DT because it would feel more like home 95% of the time.
They have all this fauna they can graze on but a QT tank doesn’t usually give them that option.
I agree with the 2 hour too long, but the Salinity from the LFS to your home aquarium tends to be out of whack (Mine has their fish in .025 and sells their fresh salt water at a salinity of .030 so it’s always quite high in my reef tanks).

 

[Tamberav]

Hi,

I'm really bummed out...

3rd try on a Copperband.

This one was looking healthy and somewhat fat at the LFS. It ate an amphipod before my eyes.

Brought it back home, acclimated it for 2 hours by putting water in the bag every 15 minutes.

Put it straight in my 48" display tank.

It looked rattled and was staying in a corner, but I figured it would take a day or 2 before it would be used to its new tank.

This morning, less than 24 hours later, it's laying on its side at the bottom of the tank, still breathing but almost dead.

Everyone else in the tank is happy, as usual.

No agressive tank mate.

Did I do something wrong, or I just picked a fish that was already condemned?

Did you check the salinity of the bag it came in? Two hours wouldn't be enough if the LFS runs lower salinity.

I generally move them into clean water with matched salinity of the bag and acclimate from there. If LFS is a fair bit lower in salinity, then into QT and bring them up over days not hours.

Also be sure to ask the LFS to FEED the copperband. You want one that will eat something you can feed.

 

[jtf74]

Not everyone is able to have a QT tank, I’m one so we have to take that risk with finicky fish. I know most people have giant QT tanks for all these hard to keep fish but really, I find they do better when they’re in the DT because it would feel more like home 95% of the time.

They have all this fauna they can graze on but a QT tank doesn’t usually give them that option.
I agree with the 2 hour too long, but the Salinity from the LFS to your home aquarium tends to be out of whack (Mine has their fish in .025 and sells their fresh salt water at a salinity of .030 so it’s always quite high in my reef tanks).

Not trying to be combative, but maybe you should get out of the hobby if you can't run a QT. Small tanks are often free on craigslist and a QT is not an expensive endeavor. My qt is a 55 I paid $100 for with a yellow tang and gramma too and it runs fallow all the time for my next fish purchase. My first and only attempt at cbb stayed in QT for 80 days. Fat and healthy two years later. QT lets it fatten up in peace without competing with more aggressive eaters.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Not trying to be combative, but maybe you should get out of the hobby if you can't run a QT. Small tanks are often free on craigslist and a QT is not an expensive endeavor. My qt is a 55 I paid $100 for with a yellow tang and gramma too and it runs fallow all the time for my next fish purchase. My first and only attempt at cbb stayed in QT for 80 days. Fat and healthy two years later. QT lets it fatten up in peace without competing with more aggressive eaters.

Seriously? Your opinion on this hobby is that no one should be in it if they can't run a separate quarantine system like you do?

That's not combative, That is elitist, "my way only" gatekeeping and not helpful to anything in this hobby. There are a lot of options out there for people without quarantines other than getting out.

 

[jtf74]

Seriously? Your opinion on this hobby is that no one should be in it if they can't run a separate quarantine system like you do?

That's not combative, That is elitist, "my way only" gatekeeping and not helpful to anything in this hobby. There are a lot of options out there for people without quarantines other than getting out.

My opinion is that if you don't have a QT of some kind you shouldn't act surprised when your fish die. Why would you not spend the money when one fish costs more than a simple QT? Lost too many fish in the early days to the straight to display tank approach.

 

[jtf74]

Seriously? Your opinion on this hobby is that no one should be in it if they can't run a separate quarantine system like you do?

That's not combative, That is elitist, "my way only" gatekeeping and not helpful to anything in this hobby. There are a lot of options out there for people without quarantines other than getting out.

What are those options? Just curious.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

My opinion is that if you don't have a QT of some kind you shouldn't act surprised when your fish die. Why would you not spend the money when one fish costs more than a simple QT? Lost too many fish in the early days to the straight to display tank approach.

There's a valid argument to be made there.

If you know the risks and feel froggy, don't be surprised when it happens.

That's also different from your statement of "maybe you should get out of the hobby if you can't run a QT" which is in my opinion a fully unsupportable position.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

What are those options? Just curious.

Pre QT!

Dr. Reef, TSM Aquatics are the two largest ones. There's At least a dozen other suppliers who provide fully QT'd Fat and healthy fish.

The money can be good from it in fact. I will be spending the weekend helping a buddy convert his garage into a full QT build-out. I think you and I agree that quarantining is a need. We live in a society of capitalists and there are companies providing that service for a cost, for those who can't or don't want to do it themselves.

 

[jtf74]

There's a valid argument to be made there.

If you know the risks and feel froggy, don't be surprised when it happens.

That's also different from your statement of "maybe you should get out of the hobby if you can't run a QT" which is in my opinion a fully unsupportable position.

pre-qt, qt , and direct to dt. So one other fairly expensive option then?
ps thank god we live in a capitalist society. I just hate seeing fish die because people don't have patience.

Half my fish came from Petco so hardly elitist. IDK just seems like QT is the cheapest option in the long run.

 

[jtf74]

from another post "90 gallons and I’m pretty sure two new fish I added without doing a proper quarantine brought in a disease, 3 days after I added them fish began dying, my clowns were the last to die I still don’t know for sure caused most to die" Similar statements on here almost daily.

 

[LuizW13]

To be fair, the fish could have died in the qt too.

 

[jtf74]

To be fair, the fish could have died in the qt too.

Sure it could. But at least its only the one in QT.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Perhaps it’s time to focus on fish that are hardy. I really don’t understand why hobbyists even try to own difficult to keep livestock. I know they are beautiful and unique. But think about it. That’s 3 copper bands that have been plucked from the ocean and died under your care. To me that is not fare, that is not humane.

Also QT set up correctly is fantastic. Helps deal with illness, gives the fish a chance to distress and feed.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Theyre tough to get situated in a tank but once theyre comfortable theyre pretty hardy. If you didnt use a heater and bubbler/pump 2hrs is too long for any fish. Depending on room temp a bucket of water could drop 10 degrees in that time and then when you plop it in the tank it gets temp shocked. I just float them for 15mins to temp acclimate then 15-30mins acclimating in a bucket adding tank water every 5 mins or so or running a syphon to it.

I also recommend qt especially for the more difficult fish. It gives you a chance to treat them immediately when something happens

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

pre-qt, qt , and direct to dt. So one other fairly expensive option then?
ps thank god we live in a capitalist society. I just hate seeing fish die because people don't have patience.

Half my fish came from Petco so hardly elitist. IDK just seems like QT is the cheapest option in the long run.

Qt imo Is the cheapest option long term.

A velvet outbreak cost me Thousands. I've got two standing qt's and buy pre qt fish from reputable sources since.

The fact that there are options for those who do not or cannot have a separate qt system give broader access to healthy fish.

 

[jtf74]

Qt imo Is the cheapest option long term.

A velvet outbreak cost me Thousands. I've got two standing qt's and buy pre qt fish from reputable sources since.

The fact that there are options for those who do not or cannot have a separate qt system give broader access to healthy fish.

I agree with you, sure, but my original point (maybe too blunt) was that if you can't afford QT you probably can't afford to successfully keep a saltwater tank period. Unless your living in a tiny home what other reason would there be for not being able to have a separate QT other than a lack of patience or desire. Most people skipping QT don't becuase they can't but because they simply can't wait to put the new fish in with the rest.