Copperband Swimming Upside Down?!?
 

So I have had a Copperband in quarantine for almost 2 weeks now with a Leopard Wrasse and a Diamond Head Goby. He has been eating Mysis, Brine, and Plankton like a pig. I have been feeding him 3 times a day since I got him. Sometimes I soak the food in Garlic Xtreme and Selcon. I have been keeping water quality high by doing a 5g waterchange every 2-3 days. It is a 29g quarantine running between 78 and 79.5 Degrees.

I noticed over a week ago that the Copperband has the Lymph Virus. I have been watching him closely and he is doing great. For the last couple days I have noticed him hanging out upside down. It seems to be happening more and more . . but other than that he seems healthy. Any Ideas as to why this is happening?

This thread is no surprise.

The majority of copperbands die in captivity. A chosen few are lucky.

Sorry I can't offer anything more... But common knowledge says all but expert avoid this fish.

Hope it lives.

I'm thinking the fish acting like this is a swim bladder issue possibly from being caught with cyanide but I am asking if anyone would know any other reason for this. Of it's cyanide there is nothing I can do as far as I know.

Does it look swollen at all? I had a cbb live for over a year and he swam upside all the time, could be a lateral line issue. I would say if it is eating well then u have a better chance than most. It could be a bit of insanity of living in the small tank, fish are weird that way and do things to entertain themselves. Not much more you can do than hope, I would say you have your doing everything in your power to keep him alive.

My CBB does the upside down thing to but only when it is trying to get something out of a rock. The first time I seen it do that I freaked out and thought it was dead or dying .

Hope it recovers, sorry I was no help.

No I don't notice any swelling. Like I said he has Lymph. He is in my 30g quarantine which he could be bored of. . He has been there for 12 days now. Would you guys leave him in the quarantine with the leopard and diamond head or would you move him into the display? I haven't noticed any ich or anything else other than the Lymph. If I wait out the Lymph and keep all fish in quarantine until it is completely gone it could be a long time. As far as I know it can take upwards of 4 weeks for the lymph to fade. Im not sure if this is taking a chance leaving a Copperband thats acting "weird" - possibly due to bordem as he is very active and a great eater, and a leapord wrasse that is doing great, in quarantine for 4-6 weeks.

What would you do? Should I keep truckin and leave them all in quarantine and wait out the lymph or should I put them into the display? Im deffinitly leaning towards leaving them in quarantine.

I would leave him in quarantine because if you end up needing to treat him it will be much easier to do so in the quarantine. Plus you don't know if he does not have something else after only 2 weeks.

Do you have any liverock in there? if not, then maybe you can put a few pieces so that he has something to examin. MIne like to pick on the liverock during the day.

If he is eating well I would not worry and I would leave him in the quarantine for another 2 weeks and observe.

Do you have a strong light? mine absolutely hate strong light and do all sort of gooffy thing to try to hide itself from the light. Maybe using a dimmer light may help him. Mine is most active under the actinic or low light.

Agree. Leave in QT.

You do not want to chance something getting in your display.

Sometimes fish like CBB do great then die without any reason. At least a reason the standard hobbiest would never figure out.

This is a fish I love, but would never waste money on it. I love hearing about long term captivity. A Year is not long when you consider many marine fish live years. When I say years, my good friend has my old clowns. 5 years old in captivity. I know if another who has clowns over 15. So one year is not success.

Sorry for anyone who feels it is. Success is long term survival.

I'm an advocate for this fish staying in the ocean.

yeah...right...but lets say that a year is a good start :)

and a good guess that the fish was not poisoned by cyanide.

Huh?

A year is a good start. But it's not great.

Some people, again, have great luck. Most do not.