Copperband butterfly questions

[Awake2005]

Have been attempting to keep copperband butterfly fish and every time I get a fish they die the next day.....even had 1 eating black worms but next morning started breathing heavily and got worse throughout the day ....just before it died later on and I noticed it bleeding by its tail.....the last pumps the fish in a bag when purchasing,normally I don't have an issue with this but could copperbands be so sensitive this could be damaging them internally?

 

[Awake2005]

Correction last pumps air into bag when purchasing

 

[Awake2005]

Uggh local fish store pumps air

 

[BryanM]

Do you have tank parameters handy?

 

[exnisstech]

There's something wrong with the fish you are purchasing, something wrong with your water/tank or another fish killing them. CBB can be difficult but a healthy fish does not die overnight for no reason much less twice. Tank size along with parameters and stocking list will be helpful. A full tank shot also can be useful. I'll link a post below with some very good info on CBBs.
I love CBBs this is my pair

The article by @i cant think
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...-a-beautiful-but-hard-to-keep-species.906341/

 

[BryanM]

I still want a CBB, but am going to wait for my tank to be much more stable before taking on the extra anxiety of caring for a CBB.

 

[Awake2005]

Salinity 1.026
Alk 10.0
Phos 0.5
Ammo
Calcium 450
Mag 1460
Temp 77.6

 

[Awake2005]

Ammonia was 0

 

[Awake2005]

There's something wrong with the fish you are purchasing, something wrong with your water/tank or another fish killing them. CBB can be difficult but a healthy fish does not die overnight for no reason much less twice. Tank size along with parameters and stocking list will be helpful. A full tank shot also can be useful. I'll link a post below with some very good info on CBBs.
I love CBBs this is my pair

The article by @i cant think
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...-a-beautiful-but-hard-to-keep-species.906341/

I also quarantine with a resident percula that wouldn't hurt a flea I'm positive it was not aggression

 

[Uncle99]

Salinity 1.026
Alk 10.0
Phos 0.5
Ammo
Calcium 450
Mag 1460
Temp 77.6

I see a couple of potential trouble makers.
Are you sure (maybe after dark) that the CB is not being harassed?

 

[exnisstech]

Beautiful tank. Are the CBBs dying in QT or after being added to the DT? If the former maybe try a different source. Also try to find one that doesn't have a pinched forehead which is a sign of malnutrition and often they are too far gone to recover without special care.

 

[i cant think]

There's something wrong with the fish you are purchasing, something wrong with your water/tank or another fish killing them. CBB can be difficult but a healthy fish does not die overnight for no reason much less twice. Tank size along with parameters and stocking list will be helpful. A full tank shot also can be useful. I'll link a post below with some very good info on CBBs.
I love CBBs this is my pair

The article by @i cant think
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...-a-beautiful-but-hard-to-keep-species.906341/

I forgot about that article! I am so glad it’s still useful, even if some of that information may be slightly outdated or contradictory.

I agree with the CBBs potentially being bullied once in the tank. Theres a powder blue I can see straight off that is bound to be out for murder at some point (maybe not instantly but definitely at lights off). Also, percula are fine, until you aren’t watching… I have a pair of occelaris that will go for my multicolour Angel, and they are more peaceful than Percs. My other Clown I had was a cross with percula (a misbar Black Photon) and she was outright nasty even to my hand being near her Yuma rock.

 

[Wonkabar]

Following along as I want to get a CBB soon. Hope you have success with one soon.

 

[Llyod276]

I have had mine for 4 years now. And if i can keep it alive, so can you. Best i can say is make sure you watch it eat at lfs. If it doesn't eat there, doubt it's gonna eat in your tank. But don't let the doubt keep you from enjoying a truly cool fish.

 

[exnisstech]

I have had mine for 4 years now. And if i can keep it alive, so can you. Best i can say is make sure you watch it eat at lfs. If it doesn't eat there, doubt it's gonna eat in your tank. But don't let the doubt keep you from enjoying a truly cool fish.

I bought mine not eating because they were 50% less than the one's eating. Key is getting one not malnourished and then training it to eat. I get it not everyone has the time, space or patience to do that. In that case seeing it eating first is very important but even then there is no guarantee they are going to continue eating when they are added to a DT with other fish.

 

[VexedTomb792]

Have been attempting to keep copperband butterfly fish and every time I get a fish they die the next day.....even had 1 eating black worms but next morning started breathing heavily and got worse throughout the day ....just before it died later on and I noticed it bleeding by its tail.....the last pumps the fish in a bag when purchasing,normally I don't have an issue with this but could copperbands be so sensitive this could be damaging them internally?

How long had they been at the lfs? I mean, had you seen them before on a previous visit? If they were just in it could be the way they were collected. Such a shame, beautiful fishes.

 

[Awake2005]

I have had mine for 4 years now. And if i can keep it alive, so can you. Best i can say is make sure you watch it eat at lfs. If it doesn't eat there, doubt it's gonna eat in your tank. But don't let the doubt keep you from enjoying a truly cool fish.

actually saturday evening it did eat 1 worm , suprised the $#@! out of me actually, but like I said above we woke up the next morning to it breathing heavily and it progressively got worse the rest of the day until it passed.... I am not giving up I honestly believe it could be possible that being put in bags of compressed air from the LFS is the culprit... these are very fragile fish I am well aware of, especially when they are in a new environment, but if i could just get 1 to actually survive a while I would be so happy ... that was my 4th btw now I am seriously thinking of ordering one online that has been eating and quarantined and shipped overnite to me instead of dealing with a LFS ... which is a bummer but it seems I cant get a healthy one around here. I have several fish in my display tank in the above photo, I would not even think of putting a copperband in that tank until I am certain it is healthy and eating eagerly.... I have a 20 long set up right next to it for quarantine with 1 percula clown that is so friendly he swims up to me every time I walk up to the tanks, like most of my fish will....
water parameters are fine, and actually I have blackworms to feed a copperband when I have them which is what they love to eat, and I've got mastic and frozen mysis etc... I have everything to succeed but can not get a break on one making it long enough to go to the main display.

 

[Llyod276]

Hmmm, yeah idk. I think i quarantined mine in the bag for 45 mins before i dumped him in there? Safe prolly not, but does remove the stress of quarantine...

 

[Awake2005]

I am going to try a different LFS, got a pair ordered... and a 20 long set up for them until I know for sure they are healthy and eating well.... will update as soon as they arrive.... thanks for the info guys... I know I can do this.

 

[BryanM]

I am going to try a different LFS, got a pair ordered... and a 20 long set up for them until I know for sure they are healthy and eating well.... will update as soon as they arrive.... thanks for the info guys... I know I can do this.

Honestly if it were me, I'd make the LFS take the risk, make them keep them, and get them to eat. Have them feed the CBBs while you're there and watch them eat.

To me, at least now you have a fighting chance.