Copperband are they ick magnets?

[jorge0912]

I am thinking of throwing the towel and just getting a copper band to kill Aiptasia can seem to get rid of it been battling with it for almost 5 months and just keeps multiplying .. tried Aiptasia x this worms that eat them I even tried lazering them is just to many... will the copper band eat them ..
i am just afraid of getting one and it getting ick ... or are they not ick magnets?
Also don’t worry after it eats the Aiptasia and I see it under control I will donated to my zoo’s 600 gallon aquarium I talked to them and they said they could take it in for a new home :)... also will it be stressed in my 54 gallon aquarium I will get it small...
have lots of Aiptasia for him so for food he has it till it’s gone and then he is off :) with his new mates to the zoo

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

so you are worried about not QTing a fish and dropping in your DT. Seems logical.

Thinking about doing that with a fish with almost zero slime coat... foolish.

But foolish things are done every day in this hobby.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

When my tank was hit with Velvet (from a fire shrimp I didn't QT), the Powder Blue was the first to show signs but the Copperband showed them within hours. It took a few more days for the rest of the Tangs to show any signs. Not exactly a controlled study but from my experience CBB are pretty susceptible to parasites.

Copperband is fine today and an aiptasia eating machine but it did take close to a year for it to realize it could eat the aiptasia though. Display is wiped pretty clean but the overflow and sump have plenty. If I were to remove the CBB, the aiptasia would be right back in the display

 

[cracker]

Iv'e had 3 over the years . The 3rd is in the big tank . They all took care of my apastia . I don't believe these fish are as fragile as they are made out to be . As for just putting the fish straight to the display isn't wise with any fish
The trick with a new CCB is to get it eating asap.

 

[jorge0912]

Well I will be getting it for free from a display sorry I forgot to put that

 

[nereefpat]

If tangs are the worst (they are), angels and butterflies are second.

 

[davocean]

They are on the sensitive side in a number of ways, and hit or miss as to what they will eat or eat at all.

Matted files are probably just about the same hit or miss as to eating your aptasia, but less sensitive, maybe consider that as an option.

QT is always a good idea, even for established fish, not only for disease, but to get them eating, and eating what you want w/out competition from other fish, much better odds at being successful.

 

[Jesterrace]

I agree that a Matte Fish (aka Matted File Fish) would probably be a better option. Copperbands share a lot of common characteristics with Leopard Wrasses IMHO. If you get one that has been at the LFS and has been eating for several weeks then you will likely have a very hardy and easy to care for fish, if not then they can be an absolute bear to keep alive.

 

[paphater]

My copperband is really pretty hardy. But He doesn't touch aptasia. I personally wouldn't go the fish route, and if you decide to go that route I'd go with a known dedicated aptasia like what was suggested above. Also my copperband only eats frozen and nori so you would need to take that in to account. They are expensive but I'd go with a nudi solution unless you have a bunch of wrasses.

 

[jorge0912]

Si how do file fish anyone history in them I will quarantine him but are they ick magnets

 

[jorge0912]

And will they eat my Aiptasia

 

[vetteguy53081]

i acquired a small copper 2 weeks ago as aptasia went out of control in my 93 cube. there were approximately 90 if them. just looked in tank and there maybe 8 left.
i have other copper bands as i have 3 tanks. NEVER had an issue with ick.
once aptasia is gone, start it on seaweed/nori to get it eating

 

[jorge0912]

i acquired a small copper 2 weeks ago as aptasia went out of control in my 93 cube. there were approximately 90 if them. just looked in tank and there maybe 8 left.
i have other copper bands as i have 3 tanks. NEVER had an issue with ick.
once aptasia is gone, start it on seaweed/nori to get it eating

That’s what I wanted to hear !! How big was the tank mine is 54 gallons
I’ll get it will be cheaper than the Aiptasia x and batteries for the lazer

 

[KJoFan]

As @Jesterrace said it's all about getting one that's eating or getting one to eat successfully. I had one several years ago I could never get eating, it didn't last long of course.

I recently picked up one from someone's tank teardown who said it was eating anything you put in the tank. I did QT it for a couple weeks just to observe and make sure it was eating and it's now in the display. It eats aggressively right along with everyone else. AND it wiped out the few aiptasia I had within the first day.

If the one you're wanting is eating in it's current home, I would suggest going a similar route I did, QT it for at least a couple weeks to make sure it's still eating for you and not presenting with any disease after the stress of moving. If all goes well, I'd head to the display with it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is in a 93 cube. I had aptasia conquered also in my 360g by a copperband

 

[jorge0912]

I will probably order it since the guy that was giving it to me back down.. it costs me 15 dollars with my vendor as I have a discount all I want him to do is take care of my Aiptasia problem and off to the zoo he goes with experts who know how to deal with this fish and it will be nice to see him grow as I have the season pass for my zoo

 

[JumboShrimp]

I have an Aiptasia Eating [Matted] Filefish that did in fact clear the DT of aiptasia. Also (it’s a long story), but due to having to go fallow three times now due to persistent marine velvet, the filefish has been through three rounds of copper (and other medications) along with his tank mates, and made it through fine; kept eating flakes, pellets, and frozen foods. So if yo are worried about the hardiness of the Copperband and just want a cool fish you might not have to re-home at the end of your ‘aiptasia eating experiment,’ maybe go with the filefish instead.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

fallow three times!!! sorry man, that is grim. I have 37 days left in my first (and hopefully only) ich fallow period

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have an Aiptasia Eating [Matted] Filefish that did in fact clear the DT of aiptasia. Also (it’s a long story), but due to having to go fallow three times now due to persistent marine velvet, the filefish has been through three rounds of copper (and other medications) along with his tank mates, and made it through fine; kept eating flakes, pellets, and frozen foods. So if yo are worried about the hardiness of the Copperband and just want a cool fish you might not have to re-home at the end of your ‘aiptasia eating experiment,’ maybe go with the filefish instead.

While the file does well with Aptasia removal, it also has a history of going after corals, zoas in particular.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I see. I should have mentioned that mine is a FOWLR tank. Many thanks!