Copperband butterfly, stress?

[Biff0rz]

So for about a week now my cbb has been swimming in the same figure 8 pattern consistently and with a lot of vigor, it appears stressed out. He hasn't really chilled other than to eat or when the lights go out. Nothing new added to the tank. All fish have been QT'd and params are spot on. The cbb has been established for 8+months and still eats like a pig. No aggression in the tank either. Anyone else have experience with their cbb swimming like this?

 

[Zionas]

Any aggression? How big is the tank? Has the fish grown at all?

 

[Biff0rz]

Any aggression? How big is the tank? Has the fish grown at all?

No aggression. 60x30x30. Yes, he's grown a bit but also not as fast as some others.

 

[Zionas]

Tank is fine. Maybe he’s just hyperactive? I don’t think he’s flashing or anything or scratching.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Biff0rz]

Tank is fine. Maybe he’s just hyperactive? I don’t think he’s flashing or anything or scratching.

@Jay Hemdal

This is new behavior for him, he's been calm mostly. I've been chatting with Jay about it and there's nothing conclusive. I was wondering if others with cbb's have seen similar behavior.

 

[Zionas]

I don’t know much, sorry.

 

[ReefHog]

Mine did that in QT and still does it often although not all the time. In fact he doesn’t ever do it when anyone’s in the room. But I can see him doing it on the wifi camera from time to time. My tank is six feet long and he surfs the back glass. I’ve had him for about 14 months now and is an aggressive eater and no one bothers him.

 

[nashvillian]

Zoomies.

 

[haitian_reefer]

I would think he's burning more calories by doing this, no?

 

[Biff0rz]

I would think he's burning more calories by doing this, no?

Yes

 

[spicymikey]

So for about a week now my cbb has been swimming in the same figure 8 pattern consistently and with a lot of vigor, it appears stressed out. He hasn't really chilled other than to eat or when the lights go out. Nothing new added to the tank. All fish have been QT'd and params are spot on. The cbb has been established for 8+months and still eats like a pig. No aggression in the tank either. Anyone else have experience with their cbb swimming like this?

So for about a week now my cbb has been swimming in the same figure 8 pattern consistently and with a lot of vigor, it appears stressed out. He hasn't really chilled other than to eat or when the lights go out. Nothing new added to the tank. All fish have been QT'd and params are spot on. The cbb has been established for 8+months and still eats like a pig. No aggression in the tank either. Anyone else have experience with their cbb swimming like this?

Just saw this thread. Can I ask whatever happened to your CBB? I have one with the same situation. He has acted normal until recently and now he is just surfing up-and-down against 1 side glass wall not even eating.

 

[Biff0rz]

Just saw this thread. Can I ask whatever happened to your CBB? I have one with the same situation. He has acted normal until recently and now he is just surfing up-and-down against 1 side glass wall not even eating.

Yea so, there's this thread:

EMERGENCY - What is wrong with my CBB's gill?!?

Well established cbb (1yr+). The fish is eating, swimming, acting normally, picking at rocks. I noticed his one gill was sticking out a bit more than the other one. What is going on here? It's like something is growing inside it. Is this something I need to take care of somehow?? Help! Video

www.reef2reef.com

My guess is your CBB is fine, but, you may want to watch his gills! Maybe related?? But between April and about a few weeks ago, he returned to normal.

Best of luck, let me know how yours turns out.

 

[ReefHog]

Mine did that every so often for the first year. He always stopped to eat then would go back to cruising the back glass. Eventually he stopped and never did it again. He’s in year three now.

 

[i cant think]

Mine does that 2 years on now. It’s always against the glass pane against the wall. For the rest of the time he’s happy and fat but then he does this and when I put a mirror up on the other side of the tank, he did the same thing to the mirror. They’re probably being territorial with their reflections because captive fish don’t know anything other than “big shadow means food, other me means bad”.

 

[spicymikey]

Thanks folks. It makes me feel better that this is just a thing, like I suspected, and he will work through it on his own.. All of the other fish are acting normal. I don't think it has anything to do with water quality. Besides the corals look fine. There is no indication of external or gill parasites. Nothing to suggest external bacterial infections but of course there could be something internal going on that is causing stress and strange behavior. I will just wait it out it has only been day 5.

Thanks again!

 

[ReefHog]

As long as he is eating, you are over the hump.

 

[spicymikey]

Just saw this thread. Can I ask whatever happened to your CBB? I have one with the same situation. He has acted normal until recently and now he is just surfing up-and-down against 1 side glass wall not even eating.

So just a quick update. It seems like my CBB has recovered from her "nervous breakdown". It took the better part of 3 weeks but she's acting and eating normal again. Not sure what caused that but it was classic glass surfing. I've seen it before but never that vigorously or for that long. A few of you said your CBB does this periodically. She's been in my tank less than a year so it will be interesting to see if she does it again in the future.

Thanks for the input and reassurances.