Copperband Butterfly eating but twitchy

[DylanE]

I've had a CBB in QT for about 10 days. Up to this point he had been kinda unenthusiastically eating odd pieces of mysis and butterfly fish mix. Today I went out to the store and got some little neck clams. Drilled a hole in the shell, put it in the liverock... jackpot. He's been going to town on it all day.

However, I've noticed that he's been twitching a bit today. Mostly his pelvic fins will flick out randomly, but occasionally he sorta twists his body into a C. I know that this can be a sign of parasites, so I'm thinking of starting Prazi soon. I'm just worried since I've heard that it can kill appetite, and I've finally found something he'll excitedly eat. Start treating immediately or no?

Also, I've got a 3 lb piece of live rock in his 20g QT. How long do I have to pull it out for Prazi?

Thanks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

You don't need to remove the live rock, as prazi is reef safe.

Give him a couple days to eat, then dose.

 

[DylanE]

You don't need to remove the live rock, as prazi is reef safe.

Give him a couple days to eat, then dose.

Awesome, thanks!

 

[saltyhog]

Twitching in a CBB usually is a sign of excitement. It could be something else but they do that in anticipation of food... or at least mine does.

 

[Instigate]

Mine gets twitchy when anticipating food but he just shakes his head and follows me. I don't remember him twitching his pelvic fins or going into a C shape.

 

[Instigate]

A few other methods of getting CBB interested in food if interested:




You can make one of these with needlepoint. Put the food in between the two layers and it gives him something to pick at.

 

[jd371]

My CBB does this head shake thing when he knows he's going to be fed. If you can locate some live Black worms mine goes crazy for them, all the fish do even my Spotted Dragonet that's timid and pecks for pods will enthusiastically go after the worms.

 

[DylanE]

Thanks for the tips, all. I'm going to keep feeding today and tomorrow and then treat with prazi, just in case. He's in the QT anyways, so might as well.

A few other methods of getting CBB interested in food if interested:




You can make one of these with needlepoint. Put the food in between the two layers and it gives him something to pick at.

I appreciate the advice! I'm going to try to train him to use one of those PVC feeders once he's taking half clams for a while. He's still skeptical of anything other than whole clam on the shell.

My CBB does this head shake thing when he knows he's going to be fed. If you can locate some live Black worms mine goes crazy for them, all the fish do even my Spotted Dragonet that's timid and pecks for pods will enthusiastically go after the worms.

Unfortunately I could only get freeze dried, which I tried soaked in Selcon. He wasn't interested. I think I'm going to try stuffing a hollowed out clam shell in a few days, see if that'll get him started.

 

[jd371]

Unfortunately I could only get freeze dried, which I tried soaked in Selcon. He wasn't interested. I think I'm going to try stuffing a hollowed out clam shell in a few days, see if that'll get him started.

Give it a shot but I think what really sets off the fish is the wiggling from the worms. My Dragonet won't touch them unless they are wiggling. I use an empty clam shell to feed Masstick to my fish occasionally.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sounds like a copperband. As he becomes accustomed to tank, should become less in twitching, etc.

 

[cracker]

Please hold off on the treatment ! I have had several of these( my favorite fish) The twitching is common with CopperBands. It's a natural feeding response. Just seeing You can set it off. These delicate fish don't do well with chemical treatments. Try peeking around the corner to see if the fish is twitching. then walk around and see if the fish starts this.

 

[eatbreakfast]

While they are a delicate fish, if there is a possibility of flukes, then please treat. Prazi is gentle, more gentle than having flukes on the gills.

 

[cracker]

I differ to @eatbreakfast . What he says !

 

[DylanE]

While they are a delicate fish, if there is a possibility of flukes, then please treat. Prazi is gentle, more gentle than having flukes on the gills.

I guess I'm just not sure if it's a possibility, or if I'm just reading into their typical 'twitchy' behavior. Since I've got all the CBB folks in here anyways, here's a vid of him.



He's actually stopped the twitching today, and he's still eating well. His breathing does seem a little rapid, but as you can see in the video the ammonia alert reads 0. Despite the breathing and being thin from his time at the store, he doesn't seem distressed at all. Just floats around and picks at the rock.

Would you all still treat?

 

[Instigate]

I guess I'm just not sure if it's a possibility, or if I'm just reading into their typical 'twitchy' behavior. Since I've got all the CBB folks in here anyways, here's a vid of him.



He's actually stopped the twitching today, and he's still eating well. His breathing does seem a little rapid, but as you can see in the video the ammonia alert reads 0. Despite the breathing and being thin from his time at the store, he doesn't seem distressed at all. Just floats around and picks at the rock.

I just recently had an issue with ammonia while having an ammonia badge reading 0ppm. So it's good to double check it with a regular test kit from time to time.

 

[DylanE]

I watched a bit longer and got a little of the 'twitchy' action from yesterday:

 

[DylanE]

I just recently had an issue with ammonia while having an ammonia badge reading 0ppm. So it's good to double check it with a regular test kit from time to time.

Good call. Did an API and it registered a full .5ppm. I was skeptical of that dang badge, I guess it was just too good to be true. Doing a water change and I'll see if that helps the breathing.

 

[Instigate]

Good call. Did an API and it registered a full .5ppm. I was skeptical of that dang badge, I guess it was just too good to be true. Doing a water change and I'll see if that helps the breathing.

It's weird. I've had the badges work fine and had them be way off. I tend to only rely on them if I'm dosing the water with furan-2 or NFG because they dye the water and you can't do a regular test.

 

[Paul B]

He looks "OK" to me except a little skinny and doesn't eat to well. Probably a little stressed also.

 

[foxt]

Can you get some live blackworms? My CBB was a slow eater like yours, buy really goes at the worms. Aside from the tentative eating on the video, I agree with Paul, he looks ok.