Copperband Butterfly - QT Eating

[eraml]

Bought a Copperband Butterfly 2.5 weeks ago on 3/7
Had the LFS feed him, and was eating Mysis shrimp - said they had him for a couple of weeks.

Since bringing him home and placing in QT, I have not been able to see him eat anything, trying the usual from reading (Mysis, brine, Masstick, clam on half shell) - have yet to see him eat anything
I am surprised he is still alive given the time-period and not seeing him eat.

In addition, I treated the QT with API General Cure due to what looked like some Fin rot.
The tail-fin looks better, but still has one rather large dot/fleshy spot on it (pic included)

Question on what would recommend to get him eating/healthy and into the DT:

• How long can these fish live without eating?
  • Any additional feeding recs?
    • Have not tried the live worm/food recs, have not found them locally
• Fish Treatment
  • Would you dose QT with Copper or PraziPro?
    • Could introducing Copper/Meds make it harder to get him eating?
  • Would you move to DT in hopes that would get him eating?

Have done lots of research on Copperbands already, knowing they can be hard to get to eat.
Any advice recommended on additional QT treatment / Move to DT in hopes of eating.

 

[ReefHog]

White growth looks to be Lympho https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/. It will go away when/if the fish is eating and healthy. CBBs like to investigate and pick at stuff. You could try live brine. Live black worms or white worms are the best. A lot of times you can find them at some of the smaller mom and pop fresh water LFS. Do a search for tropical fish stores in your area and make some calls. If your using frozen clams, try fresh clams from the supermarket. They tend to go for them more redily than the frozen "clams on the half shell". You could try frozen blood worms as well. Remove all uneaten food and keep an eye on ammonia if your sponge filter has not been pre seeded with bacteria. If you have any to spare, I'd throw in a few live rocks from your display to give him something to pick at. I wouldn't treat with copper or CP until he is eating. Good luck.

 

[jtf74]

Agreed looks like lympho- common on cbb's. Will go away once eating well and with good water quality. Live worms are you best bet. Order online and you can have them in a few days. Eastern aquatics.

 

[Kershaw]

You have to be really sure these fish are eating I had one that looked like it was eating but was spitting out the food

 

[Tamberav]

I feel like everyone should have a white worm culture going before buying a CBB, it would help greatly. Can you get live clams at a seafood market/asian grocery? LRS is worth a try too.

 

[bblumberg]

I can hardly count how many copperbands I lost in quarantine. To give this fish a chance, please put some aged live rock in there and try feeding with blackworms or, preferably fresh clams. Have a look at Paul B's article about copperbands - this made a big difference for me. I am now 3/3 since following his methods...

 

[eraml]

thanks everyone for the quick responses.
Good to know on the Lympho, don't have to worry about Copper treatment just yet.

By chance when feeding today he warmed up to the frozen Mysis and saw him eat multiple.
Hopefully a good sign - but will add in some live food / rock asap

 

[ReefHog]

If he’s eating mysis, stick with that for a few days before mixing it up. They are finicky and often quit eating with the littlest change. Then add the new food a little at a time with the food he’s already eating.

 

[WallyB]

Train him to Eat. USING MASSTICK FOOD. While throwing in other Foods (like Mysis)

I've trained at least 4 Copperbands. Nothing works Better.

Another Lesson I learned is be patient after he eats Masstick. Spend more time training him on MYSIS Shrimp, and if possible Mix in Aptasia if you have any in your tank (Into the Masstick) so he goes into your tank Hungry for Aptasia, Masstick and Mysis, Brine.

 

[eraml]

Thanks!

Fed Mysis again today, def eating more aggressively.
Tried the Masstick initially and was not interested, but I will re-introduce it here over the next couple of days

Also - how long would you keep/monitor in QT (now that he is eating), prior to moving over to DT?

 

[WallyB]

Thanks!

Fed Mysis again today, def eating more aggressively.
Tried the Masstick initially and was not interested, but I will re-introduce it here over the next couple of days

Also - how long would you keep/monitor in QT (now that he is eating), prior to moving over to DT?

The Masstick I only suggested if he wasn't eatting at all.

Keep in him in QT As long a possible to ensure he is eatting consistantly.
Maybe even turn up the flow so he learns to chase food to competitively eat as he will in your Tank with other fish.

From my experience Copperband will not eat Flake or Pellets.
And Frozen Brine Shrimp is not enough nurishment for long term success.
Mysis is Fine, but while in QT introduce him to Frozen Clam meat.



Either buy this product if you can get it.
https://www.hikariusa.com/frozen_folder/clams_on_a_half_shell.html

Or if you are up to some messy prep. Buy live clams from grocery store. Split the clam open. Then Freeze.
After freezing you can cut the clam up in thin slices to feed the meat on a clip. Same kind of clip you can use for feeding NORI/Sea-Weed.
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-seaweed-clip.html

If you can get him to eat Clam before you put him into your display tank, you stand a good chance he will do well.

I never tried blood worms, but other folks have with success.

 

[jtf74]

Thanks!

Fed Mysis again today, def eating more aggressively.
Tried the Masstick initially and was not interested, but I will re-introduce it here over the next couple of days

Also - how long would you keep/monitor in QT (now that he is eating), prior to moving over to DT?

Awesome its eating mysis readily. I'd wait for the lympho to clear and make sure its comfortably and aggressively eating from the water column before moving. I kept mine in for 60 days.

 

[ReefHog]

He will need more than the mysis. But mysis is fine to fatten him up as he begins to take other foods. Clam is great. You can slice it thin with a razor while frozen and feed the slices. I fed mine with tweezers in QT so I had a way to feed him in the display in case he was having a hard time competing with the other fish. As it turned out, that was not the case. Hes a very aggressive eater, all be it slower. I've even seen him grab food from my tangs from time to time. Mine won't eat Masstick. Never would. If you can get him on LRS fish frenzy, your all set. That's my main daily food. That stuff has everything you need. I also feed black worms, PE Mysis and clam slices periodically throughout the week but LRS is the main food and he tears it up.

I keep all new fish in QT for 45 days. 14 days prophetically treating with chloroquine phosphate followed by 30 days observation with two prazipro treatments. CBBs tend to do better in reefs than baron QT with pvc and no rocks or sand. So i completely understand adding them ASAP. My observation tank is a 29 gallon with full sand substrate and several pieces of live rock.

 

[kenchilada]

Prazipro is an appetite suppressant, so I would hold off that one until he’s fattened up.

Once you find one food he likes you can teach him to eat it out of a turkey baster or pipette. Then when he associates that with food you can mix in other foods.

I have one in QT now that will only eat live black worms but we’re working on it. He’s at least fat.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

live black worms and grocery store claims they have always eaten for me. after he eats the live black worms, try them frozen. if that works, just buy them live and freeze to make easy.

 

[eraml]

Update: Copperband in QT has been eating very aggressively since OP.

Been almost two full weeks of eating - picked up the Hikari frozen clams on the shell - and he loves that along with the Mysis
Hasn't picked up to brine shrimp/mega marine frozen mix.

Would you treat with anything else prior to moving to DT?
Already did General Cure earlier on.
How much longer would you keep in QT?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Read up on quarantining on humble's posts... You need to decide your strategy overall---treating for ick (e.g., copper) and trying to keep it out of a system altogether--or just having an ability to treat such things with say UV if there is an out break.

If you have already added fish and not treated for ick, and not let your tank be fallow, then i might just observe the copperband for another week or two--see if anything shows up and fatten him up before the next move.

If you have any tangs or ick magnets--personally if not keeping ick out of system altogher with pretty involved qt protocolas, i buy a proper (think large with proper flow) UV that can kill ick. Have it installed. Run if a breakout occurs. That seems to be successful for people and a compromise from involved qt'ing.