New and first Copperband butterfly. Asking advice.

[bjmartie]

So I get this new guy! I watched him eat before I left the LFS and they told me he was eating everything. He will be going in QT when I get home.

Is there anything I should do while in QT to make sure he does great once I move him to my 90g DT?

 

[KrisReef]

Highly recommend that you hold the bag up to the DT and tell the fish “That will be your home after you survive qt.” Then hand capture the fish and lift it out of the bag and place it in the qt. Nothing calms a pet like gently handling and calm vocal reassurance so that they get the idea that they are not going to be eaten for lunch

 

[bjmartie]

Highly recommend that you hold the bag up to the DT and tell the fish “That will be your home after you survive qt.” Then hand capture the fish and lift it out of the bag and place it in the qt. Nothing calms a pet like gently handling and calm vocal reassurance so that they get the idea that they are not going to be eaten for lunch

"you will not be my sushi today"

 

[LPS Bum]

Is the Copperband driving the car???

In all seriousness, getting it to eat consistently is going to be your biggest challenge. IME they like live black worms and clams on the half shell. Sometimes they’ll go for spirulina Mysis as well.

Good luck.

 

[bjmartie]

Is the Copperband driving the car???

In all seriousness, getting it to eat consistently is going to be your biggest challenge. IME they like live black worms and clams on the half shell. Sometimes they’ll go for spirulina Mysis as well.

Good luck.

Awesome I appreciate it! Seem him eating pellets from the store. I got plenty of frozen food and clams om half shells. But I was thinking of adding in some worms to the tank for him, while he is in QT

 

[ninjamyst]

Are you going to run copper in your qt?

Is he the only fish in qt?

What food do you have available for him?

 

[bjmartie]

He will be the only one I'm qt and yes running copper.
I got mysis, frozen mysis, brine, frozen brine, clam on half shell, and dried blood worms

 

[bjmartie]

Are you going to run copper in your qt?

Is he the only fish in qt?

What food do you have available for him?

Also some frozen krill

 

[exnisstech]

Mine eats pretty much all frozen as well as black worms. I'm currently growing a couple of white worm cultures. It will not touch pellets or flake but I rarely feed those. I did not put mine through copper tho. I've read too many stories of them dying in QT or shortly after. Mine was going into a tank as the first fish in the tank so I just settled for observation. That was 8 months ago and it is still doing well.

 

[ninjamyst]

He will be the only one I'm qt and yes running copper.
I got mysis, frozen mysis, brine, frozen brine, clam on half shell, and dried blood worms

In case it doesn't eat, find a LFS or reptile store that has live black worms.

 

[Katherine Corals]

Be sure to slowly increase copper levels and then slowly decrease them once it has surpassed the 7 days of full copper levels. There are some good threads on proper copper treatment. Otherwise, a qt cage once in the display tank so that other fish can adjust to his presence. IME these cuties are highly stressed, but if done right a beautiful addition to the tank Hope you dont have any precious acans or blasto corals you care about lol

 

[Koh23]

Mine was eating everyrthing, but, after long struggle, daily one-two hours of putting hand in tank, holding piece of mussel, amd watching him standing in front of it, and totaly ignoring.

Then one day....it take a bite.... Tomorrow, two..... Few days later, he was first to feed, no matter what i throw in tank...

But, whenewer he saw me, he goes to corner and wait for my hand and mussel. I can literally touch him, take him in hand, he had no fear.....

Sadly, after power failure and hot summer, tank temp rises to almost 40C... He didnt make it, one fish lost, and it had to be him....

 

[bjmartie]

Awesome thank you all for the advice! Yeah I got him from my LFS and they are pretty trusted. They have a QT process they do, so I'm not planning om keeping him in QT for the full 30 days. Just to make sure he is eating and want to fatten him up some before adding him in my DT. Which, he has been eating mysis shrimp (dried and frozen!) and frozen krill as well as pellets sometimes!

 

[albano]

my LFS … have a QT process they do, so I'm not planning om keeping him in QT for the full 30 days.

IMO, if LFS has a ‘QTprocess’ , it’s absolutely not a QT. If you’re not gonna hold him ‘for full 30 days’, you’re just ‘rolling the dice’! (Like most reefers)
Are the rest of your fish QTd?

 

[reely989]

I'm interested in getting a copperband too, so I'll be following this thread! No advice to give you, but a beautiful fish!

 

[ninjamyst]

IMO, if LFS has a ‘QTprocess’ , it’s absolutely not a QT. If you’re not gonna hold him ‘for full 30 days’, you’re just ‘rolling the dice’! (Like most reefers)
Are the rest of your fish QTd?

+1. LFS always say they have a QT process but when you really ask them more details about it, their QT process is just lots of dips and running copper at a low level. Or they will say the supplier does the QT for them so they just pushing that accountability upstream.

Having said all that, I only do observation QT and roll the dice.

 

[bjmartie]

IMO, if LFS has a ‘QTprocess’ , it’s absolutely not a QT. If you’re not gonna hold him ‘for full 30 days’, you’re just ‘rolling the dice’! (Like most reefers)
Are the rest of your fish QTd?

Oh I do agree. But I don't want to stress him out for a full 30 days with copper. Mainly just doing observation and checking to.makr sure he is eating well. All other fish have been QTed and tank was ran fallow. But he is currently in copper. Going to do it for two weeks as long as he is eating well and then move him to my DT.

 

[Bucs20fan]

There really isnt a stress period with copper once they get acclimated to it. Changing levels of copper is what induces stress. Think of copper like salinity. No they shouldnt live in copper forever, but once your copper is therapeutic level he should not have anymore undue stress. Keeping it eating will be the hard part.

 

[Weeb]

I've never 'automatically' run copper in my QTs. Copper has been known to shorten the lifespan of marine fishes. Sorry I can't quote the source of this information -- it's been a while. Copper can also put a fish 'off' its feeding. I've seen this in my QT.

Good luck! One of my fav fishes in the Copperband.

 

[bjmartie]

There is just so much!!! Lol, well he is doing fine, I hope he comes out well! We shall see!