New to Copperband Butterfly

Kingston · May 9, 2020

Paul B said:
Yesterday for the first time in my life I ordered a fish on line. A copperband. I am not getting a good feeling about this even though the fish is coming from New York where I live but the stores here are not open and I want to replace my copperband that died probably from old age.

Buying on line costs about 3 times more for that fish than I normally spend but I am not caring about the cost, I am more concerned that I can't see the fish before I buy it, especially a copperband.

I just hope they are not quarantining or medicating it because to me, quarantining and medicating a fish, especially a copperband is the same as killing it.

We will see and I hope it goes as it is supposed. I know a lot of people buy fish on line so I may have to get with the 21st century. At least until the LFSs open around here.

I am going to hold off buying my next copperband until yours arrive and please keep us posted on your online experience. I have also never bought online but I am a newby as far as SW. I have been in FW with cichlids for 12 years but never ordered online. Like to chat with my LFS owners and support them as much as I can. For now my LFS has 2 CBB that I am watching. He feeds dinner around 5:45pm so I may have to do a couple of trips to see if the CBB are eating.

WVNed · May 9, 2020

I got a CBB 2 months ago from Salwaterfish.com. He did not eat anything I put in the tank until 3 days ago when he decided live white worms were delicious.
I did not worry about it because he was as thin as a postage stamp when I got him but quickly filled out. He found enough to eat in the tank.
I do not QT my fish. Many are in such poor condition when you get them I am sure they would not survive.

Kingston · May 9, 2020

ReefHog said:
There seems to be different schools of thought regarding QT or not QT in regards to CBB. And most other fish for that matter. From my research, there are just as many successes and failures with both methods. Most of us not named @Paul B are not in a position to use natural sea water, wild caught clams & rocks directly from the ocean teaming with disease fighting bacteria and pathogens. So QT seems to be the best option. My feeling is if you are a QT person, then why change your routine. There's probably the same risk for failure either way so why not stick to the protocol with which you are comfortable. In QT you can target feed various foods without fierce competition. In the DT there will be, or should be, abundant rocks, pods etc for him to explore and pick at. So I get the benefit of both ways. I do agree the absolute most important thing with a CBB (or most fish for that matter) is to make sure they are eating before you purchase. Again, unless your name is @Paul B in which case your fish arrive with knife and fork in hand. Second most important thing is to have the proper foods available prior to purchase. In the case of a CBB, live black worms, clams and mysis should all be on hand. I made sure mine was eating good and not thin before I medicated in QT in case he stopped eating. Then he was removed from medication after 10 days to new observation QT with seasoned filtration and several live rocks with aiptasia, algae, bugs etc. Hes been in the 220 DT for over a month now and and along with his buddy, a Moorish Idol, are kings of the tank. Time will tell if my way is truly a success, but for now my magic 8 ball is saying "Outlook Good"

Agree....I just started SW and there are good arguments for and against quarantine. I wasn't going to quarantine especially when my LFS told me it wasn't necessary if I was buying from him and he guarantee fishes will be healthy. Well so far I have 2 clowns, 2 sand sifting gobbies and 3 banggai cardinals doing ok but the CBB didn't and I come to fine out his salinity is 1.016 which I think can mask or surpress diseases. So I am now leaning towards the quarantine camp. I think if this CBB I had was in QT, I could have fed it more and vacuum out the food if doesn't eat it.

piranhaman00 · May 9, 2020

Paul B said:
Yesterday for the first time in my life I ordered a fish on line. A copperband. I am not getting a good feeling about this even though the fish is coming from New York where I live but the stores here are not open and I want to replace my copperband that died probably from old age.

Buying on line costs about 3 times more for that fish than I normally spend but I am not caring about the cost, I am more concerned that I can't see the fish before I buy it, especially a copperband.

I just hope they are not quarantining or medicating it because to me, quarantining and medicating a fish, especially a copperband is the same as killing it.

We will see and I hope it goes as it is supposed. I know a lot of people buy fish on line so I may have to get with the 21st century. At least until the LFSs open around here.

I hope the non quarantined stressed out fish doesn’t bring demise along with it

Good luck!

Paul B · May 9, 2020

piranhaman00 said:
I hope the non quarantined stressed out fish doesn’t bring demise along with it

Good luck!

Nothing demised in about 40 years so I assume it won't demise now.

If it does, I will quit and go with my other hobby. Trying to guess the phone numbers of Supermodels.

ReefHog · May 9, 2020

Kingston said:
Agree....I just started SW and there are good arguments for and against quarantine. I wasn't going to quarantine especially when my LFS told me it wasn't necessary if I was buying from him and he guarantee fishes will be healthy. Well so far I have 2 clowns, 2 sand sifting gobbies and 3 banggai cardinals doing ok but the CBB didn't and I come to fine out his salinity is 1.016 which I think can mask or surpress diseases. So I am now leaning towards the quarantine camp. I think if this CBB I had was in QT, I could have fed it more and vacuum out the food if doesn't eat it.

I never quarantined except for observation only on a few fish here and there since the 90s. I'd lose a fish here and there within a few weeks but mostly had good success. My last tank (currently a 220 mixed reef) had 12 fat & healthy fish, most well over 6 years old and a few over ten years old. Then a little over a year ago I lost 9 of them in two days to velvet. I hadn't bought a new fish in over six months. I did add some LFS corals three weeks earlier though. Something gave. All parameters tested normal. Since then I've quarantined 16 fish, all using chloroquine phosphate and prazipro. I lost one porcupine puffer (and a black molly) from velvet that slipped through QT somehow. The others are all doing great. No way i'd trust a guarantee from a LFS. Best case scenario, you might get reimbursed for the one fish you bought from him. And I find it highly unlikely that a LFS can avoid cross contamination of fish and water unless it's a small one man type operation.

piranhaman00 · May 9, 2020

Paul B said:
Nothing demised in about 40 years so I assume it won't demise now.

If it does, I will quit and go with my other hobby. Trying to guess the phone numbers of Supermodels.

I read all about your great success with no QT over the years! Hope it keeps working out