Sigh...I have seen this look before

phillybean · #1 12-30-2008, 01:33 PM

Same here, mine acted the same way the day before he died. I had him for 2 or 3 months, but the supplier had him for another 2 months before I did.

dsaundry · #2 12-30-2008, 02:23 PM

Ditto here as well

fishoholic · #3 12-30-2008, 02:57 PM

Sorry to hear that, I hope he pulls through.

Douglas · #4 12-30-2008, 03:24 PM

This is weird.......I fed my copperband last night, he was eating and has been for the last 3-4 months. Very healthy looking. This morning i woke up, and he's struggling, and stuck to the powerhead. poor thing. This is my second attempt at a copperband. This one was doing fine. Then all of a sudden. Darn.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #5 12-30-2008, 03:38 PM

I figured there would be a lot of similar responses. Its kind of sad how many of these fish are cyanide caught and suddenly die one day once their organs (I believe its the liver) fail.

I have tried four now and will have to stop after this one. It had been a year since I last tried and this batch looked great, so I though why not...now I remember why.

michika · #6 12-30-2008, 03:39 PM

Its not just copperbands unfortunately. I would love to try another imperator angel, but twice I've had the same issue. Its just so unfortunate and so sad.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #7 12-30-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michika

Its not just copperbands unfortunately. I would love to try another imperator angel, but twice I've had the same issue. Its just so unfortunate and so sad.

Sorry to hear that. Yes the problem is certainly not just copperbands. It is often Philippine caught fish in general. Apparently the ones we do get shipped to us here are actually the tougher fish! The ones that can actually survive shipping.

I was told that after being collected, the fish are separated into what will be worth money and able to be shipped to North America, the ones that will make a shorter trip to Europe or other parts if Asia and then the "rejects" who all go to a wholesaler on the island. I am not sure what happens to these "weak" fish.

Wholesalers and stores here in North America really have no idea how the fish were caught overseas and have no way to ever claim they are no cyanide caught. Any store that does is either oblivious to the situation (and believe everything they are told) or lying

Myka · #8 12-30-2008, 05:36 PM

thanks for posting up this info. Ever since the first time I read a sw book and saw a Copperband that has been my ultimate sw keeping goal - to keep a Copperband. Sounds like my goal might be a difficult one. I can't believe so many are lost. This is why many people put Copperbands on the "should not be imported" list, and tell people not to buy them so that collection and import is discouraged.

Whatigot · #9 12-30-2008, 07:26 PM

I hate copperbands.
Had one, did EVERYTHING for it and it still died within 2 months.
I was so crushed and upset when I saw him doing the death swim

I have the same luck with yellow headed jawfish.

I hate to kill anything, and both of these fish have made me feel like they are well beyond my abilities, and that hurts almost more than the death itself.

naesco · #10 12-30-2008, 07:52 PM

I too have tried them without success and will not try them again.
I think that the problem with them is collecting shipping and feeding.

Cyanide is used to catch fish that are hiding in the coral. For example all cryptic wrasse like 6 lines and leopards are cyanide caught because they are so difficult to get out of the coral rock. It is best to avoid them because we know they are cyanide caught.

Mandarins are the same except that some fishers are using a stick with a prong on it to catch them successfully.