tangs vs size

[Jim the noob]

Hey guys, im considering adding a copperband to my collection, but conserned about it becoming a victim to the tangs...

Usualy i buy my fish as small as possible, but in this case i wonder if it would be better to buy the copperband bigger, so it doesnt come as the new dude+ the smallest one

Would it be a good idea to get it, same size/bigger than the tangs, or doesnt it make a difference no matter what i do ?

 

[A Young Reefer]

if they want to pick on the fish they will. but to increase your chances of success I would recommend getting one bigger than the tangs.

 

[Jim the noob]

so my logic holds, that they are less likely to harras someone bigger?

 

[A Young Reefer]

so my logic holds, that they are less likely to harras someone bigger?

I found this true with most fish I kept, yes.

 

[A Young Reefer]

but at the end you must be aware that the risk is always present.

 

[Jim the noob]

yea im aware of that, but i just wondered if i could reduce the risk.

thx for the fast replies

 

[J1a]

I would much prefer to add a small copperband if in to a tank with tangs. Reason being, even if a copperband is 1-2 inches larger than the tangs, they still can't defend themselves well enough if the tangs choose to be aggressive. They are just not as robust as tangs.

A smaller specimen, on the other hand, is less likely to pose a threat to the existing tangs. In the event of aggression display, I can also potentially find smaller hiding places and break line of sight.

 

[Jim the noob]

hm, so either way i cant do anything to reduce the risk, just a gamble?

 

[ying yang]

If buy a copperband just make sure it's eating at the lfs.i read all the time what a finicky eater they are and often starve to death.

My experience with having a copperband about 5 months is it sort of ate a little at the lfs then when in my tank it would grab the mysis then spit back out and not eat it so with my research before bought it told me to try shell food like clams/ oysters/ scallops / mussels ,I hunted down some fresh oysters and scallops and some frozen clams and cut these up small and the copperband loved it so now my tank mainly gets fed shell fish food and copperband is most eager and most greedy but I target feed the coppetlrband using some long stainless steel tweezers to make sure he gets the most.

I noticed took him some time to get settled in and often fight his reflection in the side glass so stopped cleaning one side and stopped doing it.

So far so good with mine and one I got was quite big when I got him like from snout to tip of tail 4- 5 inch

 

[Jim the noob]

its from online shop, so thats not realy an option...

but could be helpfull with the shellfood, when you say "small" pieces, what are we talking about`? 1-2 milimeter?

 

[ying yang]

its from online shop, so thats not realy an option...

but could be helpfull with the shellfood, when you say "small" pieces, what are we talking about`? 1-2 milimeter?

With mine, I cut up in pieces like 3-4 mm yes,just small enough for fish to grab and eat in one go.
Sometimes if a big a little to big fir my copperband he puts in mouth then spits back out then grabs again ,chewing bits off each time.
Can hear him sometimes as he eats ^_^

 

[Jim the noob]

ok thx