As to your message of:
Rex said:
So I was having a discussion with a few people (who's super knowledgeable about fish, and had similar experiences with these fish) on here earlier about copper bands and anthia in my size aquarium.
They said they and many other have had great success with copperbands in 55 - 70 gallons. They said yea they do get larger but they are way more laid back then dwarf angels, tangs and those types of fish. Therefore they just swim around a little and other times hangout under over hangs and in caves. They also said the body shape of a Copperband is different then other butterflies, tangs, angels, and so on... they said it would work perfectly fine if I'd not jam pack the tank with other small more active fish.
As Anthias go...
They said if I was looking to get a large school of Dispar or Carberryi Anthias then yes they would need at least a 75 gallon. But they said a trio of either of these in my tank would work fine as they only get a few inches. They said the main thing to be worried about is to make sure you feed multiple times a day for both these fish and to have a good skimmer to deal with the extra nutrients.
I also forgot to mention earlier,
I've kept a copperband a few years back in this same tank without a single issue. It was around 5" or 6" before I had to breakdown the tank and sell everything off at the time.
I think copperbands work perfectly in my tank. The key to success with them in my tank is DO NOT heavily stock it, give them multiple areas to hide and at the same time enough open space. Just my 2 cents... and many others agree with me on this subject... I guess some disagree with each other and some agree that part of partaking in any hobby lol
Nobody who actually knows what they are talking about says that a Copperband will be OK in a 2.5 foot tank - no one.
Like I said, all of the professionals who actually do this for a living state that a Copperband needs a minimum of a 125 gallon tank - that is a 6 foot long tank.
There is nobody with any sense that would say that a Copperband would be OK in a 2.5 foot tank - no one.
You kept a 6" Copperband in a 2.5 foot tank "without a single issue", huh?
Well, then you obviously have no idea what an "issue" is.
You are going to do what you are going to do - I just feel really sorry for your fish.