CBB ON STRIKE!

[jtf74]

I think it looks ok actually but Hard to tell with the angle. If looking straight at it the area directly above his eyes should be convex. If it’s concave I would be concerned . See how the band is sort of concave above his eyes? I would not expect any reef no matter how healthy to sustain a cbb very long imo. They eat so much when they are healthy there’s just no way. Pecking is a good sign but try everything possible to get it eating.

Edit just saw the top shot. I still think its got some fat stored but try everything available it might eat

 

[Stevorino]

Are you able to get live brine at an LFS near you? That was the trick for me.

I also had masstick ready but the live brine was all needed. Do live for a feeding or two, and then start mixing it with frozen.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

thank you. ill check. someone on another thread had suggested mixing different of the foods and smearing it on a rock then freezing it. gave that a try but no go. he keeps swimming towards the top of the tank now with his little beak open. im getting a bad feeling....will keep trying :disappointed-face: sorry about the pics. they were the best i could get!

 

[blazn]

I purchased a pre-QT CBB in '23 and had every type of food available, including live black worms & white worms. Besides pecking around my reef, the only food it would eat was Masstick that I'd press into a rock and freeze prior to putting in my DT. It only survived 3 weeks and was tragic observing its decline. I wasn't going to try that again, but found one eating frozen mysis at my LFS and he's been thriving for the last 9 months.

Another R2R poster had recently had the same experience with a pre-QT CBB and it never took to any foods and apparently only lasted 2 1/2 weeks.

Do everything possible to attempt to get your CBB eating anything and recognizing food in the water column, but do not 'beat yourself up' if it doesn't.

I highly recommend for anyone that wants a CBB to witness it's ability to eat, especially from the water column, before purchasing, otherwise it's 'a shot in the dark'.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ok guys. things arent looking hopeful. anyone else have some tip that wasnt mentioned on here? :disappointed-face:

 

[Doctorgori]

i tried to get live worms, but unfortunately the LFS didnt have any. thanks everyone for the tips!

You can find white worms between fall leaves in the north, esp oak and maple, or just under them on top of the soil…I’ve never seen them outside the midwest
…usually someone on aquabid.com has them or grindals ( which are too small)

 

[Doctorgori]

if you don’t succeed perhaps the next one I would try DrReef or Marine Collectors or anyone who QT’s or “tank conditions” fish

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yes, i did get it from one of those

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i guess you cant force feed a fish... :thinking-face:

 

[sfin52]

got my first CBB! Super excited but nervous. can anyone tell me how long they can go without eating before you start getting worried? :thinking-face:

Watch it its prob eating small warms and other things. It took mine a while to eat. It scoured the sad bed after feeding time.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i dont know. anymore, it just stays up towards the top of the tank...

 

[jtf74]

I was told it fouls a tank quickly but mine also ate boiled eggs and also a couple small earthworms. Live brine or worms is probably the best shot. Try cutting fresh clam into strips if you haven’t.

 

[Goaway]

got my first CBB! Super excited but nervous. can anyone tell me how long they can go without eating before you start getting worried? :thinking-face:

8 days. Its gross, its nasty, first water column food was foxface poo. After that, mysis and then chopped up seafood slurry.

i dont know. anymore, it just stays up towards the top of the tank...

What are your other fish? Top of tank = bully or illness. Illness can be a number of things, even chemical (cyanide, copper)

https://reefbuilders.com/2014/02/07/succeed-with-copperband-butterflyfish-chelmon-rostratus/
I went to seek advice from multiple people as well when I got mine.

I hope you can find a solution.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

3 other tangs and a damsel. ive never seen any of them beating him up or even harassing him. unless it happens after i go to bed :thinking-face:

 

[smitten with ocean life]

what signs of illness should i look for? other than not eating, he seems to look good.

 

[Goaway]

what signs of illness should i look for? other than not eating, he seems to look good.

Mine is always looking for food at night time. From day 1 even today non stop hunting for food.
If yours is still at the top lights off, its probably sick. I hope not. But, if night time grazing, someones being a bully.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

well no luck on the live worms...:anxious-face-with-sweat:

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

well no luck on the live worms...:anxious-face-with-sweat:

Just to make sure, you do have aptasia in your tank correct. And what did the ppl. that QT'd the CBB say it at with them. Also how old is your reef, just for reference. Did you start with dry rock, live rock?
I think the thing that gets me is, if you just bought this fish fresh out of the ocean I can see maybe that there would be a non-eating situation. But you got this fish from someone who QT'd it, so it had to be eating, you would think. Just trying to isolate the factors that are different between before it got to you and now. Another point, what is this company’s QT protocols?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i definitely have aiptasia. thats why i got him :) my tank is several years old. started with live rock. i would say more about the seller but i dont want to bash him. he is well known and will make it right if the fish doesnt make it. i just want so badly for it to pull through that i reached out here in hopes of some ideas to help it. ive gotten some great tips, but unfortunately, he doesnt seem interested in any of them:disappointed-face:

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

i definitely have aiptasia. thats why i got him :) my tank is several years old. started with live rock. i would say more about the seller but i dont want to bash him. he is well known and will make it right if the fish doesnt make it. i just want so badly for it to pull through that i reached out here in hopes of some ideas to help it. ive gotten some great tips, but unfortunately, he doesnt seem interested in any of them:disappointed-face:

I am just trying to figure out why he is not eating. There is probably things in your tank that can sustain him once he decides to eat, but has chosen not to at this point. Could it be that something in your tank is stressing him out enough to not eat? That could be anything, including lack of available hiding places, flow, other tank inhabitants, etc. Maybe, and only if you think this is the better situation, is to set up a 10g QT tank with a rock from your tank and a PVC tube, to see if that helps.