Copperbands Valentine's Day Lovefest - Not

[intarsiabox]

Well Reef Pilot, what's done is done. I doubt your pet store will take back a marine fish but you could try selling one of them privately if you like. Before you introduce them into your display tank try removing the tang for a while to let the CBB establish territory and after a few weeks the tang will be the new kid on the block and may not be aggressive towards the other fish (maybe). I wouldn't get too upset about trying to keep CBB fish, unless a store only stocks captive bred fish then for every live fish you see in their tanks there is probably 10 dead ones that didn't make it through the process between capture and retail sales. None of us is any better and are all to blame for the many marine animal deaths whether by our own hands or not. So just give it your best effort and maybe you will suprise everyone with 2 healthy CBB's that live for many years. I to had an aggressive yellow tang years ago and the second I tried adding a new fish to the tank he would stab the poor new comer to death in minutes so I had to dismantle my whole reef to get the bugger out and gone for good.

[daniella3d]

No sorry I don't think that the "bit" of aggression we see in that video is anything good. In the wild the loser can surely leave the place but in an aquarium it can't. Fish in the wild can go away, obviously. How can you compare this situation to "fish in the wild"??

This is exactly what will happen in your aquarium, "a fish that can't get away and will hide in a corner..if not killed."

Funny I was just reading an article in the Coral magazine "Triggerfish, FEB 2009" and the article called "No risk no fun" was showing a photo of 2 copperbands kept together and on one pic they are side by side peacefully and the next photo where showing the same fish fighting a bit later. They are talking about the common mistakes that beginners do. Guess who I was thinking of while reading that article?

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Their behavior has changed too, in that they are less timid, more eager at feeding time, and that bit of aggression that you saw in the video was a good sign too. Fish in the wild experience that all the time. If they are strong and healthy, they do not hesitate to defend their territory, or fight to establish their place in the pecking order. What you don't want to see is a fish that can't get away or has to hide in a corner. That type of harassment is definitely stressful.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by reefwars

for all those who say " ive bought x amount of coppers now and since they died they are better off left in the ocean" im sure alot of us have lost more of other things like clams,corals,and inverts ......i mean ive lost countless zoas and ive killed off kenyas like no tomorrow , ive been on my 3rd elegance and i know of people who are now losing clams by the handfulls........under those same words all these should be left in the ocean because we lost more than one.

I have tried a couple different small SPS frag, died, will not do anymore SPS until to figure out why. My huge duncans suddenly died recently, will not have any more until I figure out why. Several clams as of late, gone, WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FOR A VERY LONG TIME. If it doesn't live the first time there is no second attempt for a long long time.

I hope you do pull this off with 2 CBB, it would be a awesome success. Could be an article in the making.

Agreed that the ideas Reefwars suggested would be worth a try.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I have tried a couple different small SPS frag, died, will not do anymore SPS until to figure out why. My huge duncans suddenly died recently, will not have any more until I figure out why. Several clams as of late, gone, WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FOR A VERY LONG TIME. If it doesn't live the first time there is no second attempt for a long long time.

I hope you do pull this off with 2 CBB, it would be a awesome success. Could be an article in the making.

Agreed that the ideas Reefwars suggested would be worth a try.

crap greg thats some rough luck lately, ive always been following your tank and its weird for sure and within time im sure it will even itself out just frustrating i bet for sure......keep the puchases down to minimum costs just some cheap stuff untill you can figure whats going on is what i probably would do sometimes it just helps to sit back relax, keep it clean dont add anything for a bit and then see where you stand


glad to say i have a cube tank build thread starting soon was able to take some nice glass home with me hehe

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by reefwars

crap greg thats some rough luck lately, ive always been following your tank and its weird for sure and within time im sure it will even itself out just frustrating i bet for sure......keep the puchases down to minimum costs just some cheap stuff untill you can figure whats going on is what i probably would do sometimes it just helps to sit back relax, keep it clean dont add anything for a bit and then see where you stand


glad to say i have a cube tank build thread starting soon was able to take some nice glass home with me hehe

I think some of the problem might have been when I was unable to really maintain the tank the way I wanted to do to lack of work.


There are going to be some big changes this year on the 8'er. Big a$$ recirc. skimmer, profilux controller, MH lighting, ATO & water change system, more flow and a bigger tank. Skimmer is on the way.

[Duffer2]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Congrats, Dave, on your success with the Copperband. 2 years old is proof enough. Did yours eat Aiptasia?

How did you catch your Yellow Tang? Net won't work for me. I am thinking of trying a trap, but haven't got one, or tried to make one yet.

Reef Pilot

Yeah mine wipes out aiptasia at an astonishing rate. I have actually swapped a few pieces of rock with a guy who was going to cook his rock and the CBB cleaned it in a couple days. When I introduce aiptasia covered rock or new rock, the CBB seems more interested in the rock then the mysis.

Catching the tang was tricky. Did the whole red flash light in the middle of the night trick. I knew where he slept, and ambushed the bugger.

Interesting thing about my CBB is that I only feed him once a day. He's only ever got PE mysis and he looks as "fat" as any I've seen in captivity. Saying that, I think my pod population seems to keep him fairly busy.

I think a lot of CBB survival is pure luck. Many many better reefers then I have lost them, and this is my first crack and I've been successful. I certainly don't attribute it to anything special or remarkable that I have done. If anything I should give full credit to his previous owner Alberta_Reefer, who got him into such good health when he sold him to me. Good luck with the 2 CBB's.

And remember, the best way by far to save the fishes is skip the sushi!!!

[ensquire]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

No sorry I don't think that the "bit" of aggression we see in that video is anything good. In the wild the loser can surely leave the place but in an aquarium it can't. Fish in the wild can go away, obviously. How can you compare this situation to "fish in the wild"??

This is exactly what will happen in your aquarium, "a fish that can't get away and will hide in a corner..if not killed."

Funny I was just reading an article in the Coral magazine "Triggerfish, FEB 2009" and the article called "No risk no fun" was showing a photo of 2 copperbands kept together and on one pic they are side by side peacefully and the next photo where showing the same fish fighting a bit later. They are talking about the common mistakes that beginners do. Guess who I was thinking of while reading that article?

We got your opinion, move on, everyone else has

[MMAX]

X 2

[Reef Pilot]

Wow, more drama here than in my QT tank. Fish are doing fine, not full love and peace, but not the bickering that you saw in that video. They are eating well, and looking very healthy.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I greatly appreciate hearing from people with real experience, both good and bad. I have been doing a lot of research, and see many "internet experts" out there that love to give advice. But sometimes hard to separate fact from opinion. With some, I even wonder if they have a tank, or ever owned the fish in question.

Anyway my plan is pretty close to what reefwars said, and am keeping my options open as to whether I keep one or both Copperbands. They will stay in my QT for a while yet. I want them strong and healthy, before having to face my Yellow Tang. Which BTW, is a beautiful fish, and doing a great job eating algae in my very mature display tank.

Reef Pilot

[daniella3d]

yep...pointless anyway!

Originally Posted by ensquire

We got your opinion, move on, everyone else has