Copperband sleeping quarters ?

[ying yang]

Hi hope all is well.
For last few weeks since getting copperband i been adding clams ( 1.5 inches wide) and copperband loves these and rips it to shreds and eats it so no problem feeding,but i know aquascape plays major role for fish to be less stressed during day so lose line off sight if aggressive fish in there and hiding places plus much more so made my aquascape with this in mind with few caves,labyrinth of passageways through the rocks for smaller fish and cuc to get in and clean etc etc.
Also at night most fish want cover ( all except my clowns which hover in water at back.)
I got few largish caves but other fish reside in these at night ( maybe they share later idk)
But i thinking off superglue the clams together and make a cave out off them and place near back of tank.
Question is for the copperband, reckon best placing this clam cave i make directly on sand bed or would be better raising it up on top off a rock a few inches or 10 inches or what ?
Ive tried my best researching where they sleep in wild but just read caves is all.and read a few other threads saying theres doesn't sleep it just hunts on the rocks which mine sort off does as tank lights goes out and only little ambient light in room from tv or small lamp.then when tv and all lights off he just chills in water column ( not on sand or in rocks)
I know they can be shy skittish timid,stressed easy fish so just want to make it best i can.i got nassarius snails that mainly come out off sand bed at night so my thinking is to raise it up a little so a nas snail doesn't go in his cave and freak him out ^_^ as these nas snails are fearless they often go down in pistol shrimps burrow then all i hear is pop pop and even video one time the pistol shrimp grab the snail and wrestle with him lol but still nearly every night i see couple nas snails go in the burrow lol
Copperband quite big so far but still be growing

 

[vetteguy53081]

Most fish l I’lle a place to hang out. It’s the aggressive ones that have their spot in the tank in many cases
As for gluing clams, I assume you mean the shells?

 

[Tamberav]

Mine sleeps behind a rock in the corner. Once they settle in, they do not seem skiddish at all... often coming right up to you and begging for food by twitching their head. Mine is the only fish that doesn't freak out when the cat is attacking the glass.

 

[ying yang]

Most fish l I’lle a place to hang out. It’s the aggressive ones that have their spot in the tank in many cases
As for gluing clams, I assume you mean the shells?

Yes just the empty clam shells i meant to say sorry.
I was pulling them out each time but last week i just left in for effect but getting slightly cluttered on the sand bed to say the least.

What ive read on them is they tend to stay in bottom - 1/ 3 the tank and when im looking at lights off he chilling just above the sand bed so think i will glue the clam shells together then stick few contact points with some epoxy on top of a small rock so be maybe 3- 4 inch from bottom sand bed and not make cave to small so he crammed in there ( if he even goes in there at all as know this is a possibility) and leave little bit of room for him or anyone experience knows they like to wedge themselves into rockwork like some fish do ?

Even if copperband or no fish use the cave .it wont be total loss as will stick some kind off coral on the top of it.maybe some encrusting type in the future.

 

[ying yang]

Mine sleeps behind a rock in the corner. Once they settle in, they do not seem skiddish at all... often coming right up to you and begging for food by twitching their head. Mine is the only fish that doesn't freak out when the cat is attacking the glass.

Tbh mine not that skittish really.apart from when my hand goes in tank it darts away but as time goes on he will know i feed him so hopefully get less skittish.and if 4 year old daughter goes upto tank.not as bad as little girl in finding nemo banging on glass but does scare him and other fish off course.

 

[jtf74]

Nice copperband! Not sure what other fish you have but I wouldn't worry too much since its eating well. Mine rarely hides and can be very bold also with other fish and when fed.

 

[ying yang]

Nice copperband! Not sure what other fish you have but I wouldn't worry too much since its eating well. Mine rarely hides and can be very bold also with other fish and when fed.

Just the standard normal common fish but apart from the 2 clowns which daughter insisted we get.i got them all with intention/ hope they carried out a job within the tank.
2 clowns.
Tail spot blennie
Ywg +tiger pistol shrimp.
Silver belly wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Bi colour blennie
Coral beauty
Copperband butterfly
And will get last fish shortly and be a 1 spot foxface.
And have been thinking if get a certain pest and a certain fish i havent got and need help with pest situation then maybe could get a fish for few weeks/ few months then either give back to lfs or get partial store credit for it or keep in sump or qt tank that always running.but thats another topic .
As you can see by list of my fish i not got any agressive fish.a couple could be deemed semi aggressive but its not so much making cave for copperband to hide from aggressive fish as my tank quite harmonious except cleaner wrasse winds all fish up trying to clean them all the time ha ha.its more of a cave for quiet chilled out sleeping time without getting harrassed,just to make copperband more chilled/ stress free as possible as read they gets stressed easier than most fish then more prone to dieseses and such,so just trying to make my tank as comfortable a place as i can for my little fishy friends ^_^ .
And as i decided against getting a copperband i didnt take this into account when making my aquascape and if was going get one then it would been one first fish i introduced to tank then im guessing it would claimed the large cave that my small coral beauty has claimed but recently did more research on them and thought i got all information i can about them and sure i can get it to eat and was eating frozen at the lfs so threw me off on my planning ( and i know even if just stacked a load of rocks on top of each other,all the fish would sorted out themselves where they all sleep etc but so far everything i made the way it is has all come into place how i thought it would and yeah it a gorgeous healthy active looking fish so thanks ^_^

 

[brmc1985]

Yes just the empty clam shells i meant to say sorry.
I was pulling them out each time but last week i just left in for effect but getting slightly cluttered on the sand bed to say the least.

What ive read on them is they tend to stay in bottom - 1/ 3 the tank and when im looking at lights off he chilling just above the sand bed so think i will glue the clam shells together then stick few contact points with some epoxy on top of a small rock so be maybe 3- 4 inch from bottom sand bed and not make cave to small so he crammed in there ( if he even goes in there at all as know this is a possibility) and leave little bit of room for him or anyone experience knows they like to wedge themselves into rockwork like some fish do ?

Even if copperband or no fish use the cave .it wont be total loss as will stick some kind off coral on the top of it.maybe some encrusting type in the future.

So I made something similar to what you are thinking of doing. I got some fresh oysters (ate them up ) then but a few of them back together with super glue and aligned them vertically on a smaller flat bottom rock. My intent was to make a small “oyster garden” and it looks really cool. I’ll see if I can dig it out of the tank and get a picture for you.

 

[ying yang]

So I made something similar to what you are thinking of doing. I got some fresh oysters (ate them up ) then but a few of them back together with super glue and aligned them vertically on a smaller flat bottom rock. My intent was to make a small “oyster garden” and it looks really cool. I’ll see if I can dig it out of the tank and get a picture for you.

Umm thats interesting idea and gives me a idea.
I wasnt thinking doing anything like this,my idea was to get the empty shells and glue them over lapping each other to make sides and a roof and place against back glass so only one way in and out .
But now seen what you did i could do same as you around edges or even on top/ sides of cave im on about making as looks more natural looking.
My idea was to let some gsp grow on top and sides of my clam cave or some kind chalice or entrusting coral,maybe even a monti cap but great thanks for the picture of what you did,its alot more natural looking.
One question it looks like you used both sides off the shells,did you glue them shut so no dead water just sits in it or detritus gets in and just rots away? I know would only be small amount so wouldnt have any negative impacts on anything i would off thought but just curious?

 

[brmc1985]

Umm thats interesting idea and gives me a idea.
I wasnt thinking doing anything like this,my idea was to get the empty shells and glue them over lapping each other to make sides and a roof and place against back glass so only one way in and out .
But now seen what you did i could do same as you around edges or even on top/ sides of cave im on about making as looks more natural looking.
My idea was to let some gsp grow on top and sides of my clam cave or some kind chalice or entrusting coral,maybe even a monti cap but great thanks for the picture of what you did,its alot more natural looking.
One question it looks like you used both sides off the shells,did you glue them shut so no dead water just sits in it or detritus gets in and just rots away? I know would only be small amount so wouldnt have any negative impacts on anything i would off thought but just curious?

Yes. They were glued shut for the most part aka a tiny area on the top for air to escape. You could glue them semi open so there could be more water flow through them. Oh yea. And I would think about some cyphastea on them. Would look cool with that encrusted on it. BRB. Going to go add some cyphastrea to mine now!

 

[ying yang]

Yes. They were glued shut for the most part aka a tiny area on the top for air to escape. You could glue them semi open so there could be more water flow through them. Oh yea. And I would think about some cyphastea on them. Would look cool with that encrusted on it. BRB. Going to go add some cyphastrea to mine now!

Ha ha you glued it on yet ?
Just did google search on cyphastrea and some nice colours and says like low light low flow so be ideal where im wanting to put it at bottom off my deep tank.if you do it take some pictures and any progression.be interesting to see how it develops

 

[Flame2hawk]

How long have you had him? If he’s eating and growing, you are doing better than most as copperband’s are notorious for short life spans in aquarium. I would keep doing what your doing. Perhaps move some rock around and create more caves. Most fish will find their little condo space in the rocks to rest at night regardless whether its low, med or high height`

 

[ying yang]

Only early days.had him like 2- 3 weeks.seem him eat frozen at the lfs but only picking at it so knew i had potential problem brewing so bought some clams and an oyster and he loves the clams.keep saying i will buy a white worm culture which literally £ 5.99 but been saying it months now and still not ordered it pffft

 

[ying yang]

This little video from other week and can see loves the clam.he first one in and he the one who rips it from the shell.
He does eat little bit of frozen but not enough to makee happy that he getting enough to sustain him.he picks off the rocks also

 

[Goaway]

If you have hermit crabs, they might eat your super glue causing your clam cave to fall apart. I say just go crazy and make a clam cave.

 

[ying yang]

Here another video from today.by time dropped clam in tank and got phone onto video mode copperband already ripped clam from shell.fast forward first minute as not much happenning.
As for growing i only had 2- 3 weeks so not seen much growth off course.and only early days so cant say if will be short lived in my tank or not.but most people i read of this is getting it to eat but mine voraciously eats the clam so that makes me happy and once i pull my finger out my nether region i will order and finally start a white worm culture as read most fish absolutely love these

 

[Flame2hawk]

Here another video from today.by time dropped clam in tank and got phone onto video mode copperband already ripped clam from shell.fast forward first minute as not much happenning.
As for growing i only had 2- 3 weeks so not seen much growth off course.and only early days so cant say if will be short lived in my tank or not.but most people i read of this is getting it to eat but mine voraciously eats the clam so that makes me happy and once i pull my finger out my nether region i will order and finally start a white worm culture as read most fish absolutely love these

Good start. Keep him eating! Good luck.

 

[ying yang]

If you have hermit crabs, they might eat your super glue causing your clam cave to fall apart. I say just go crazy and make a clam cave.

Yeah i got mixture off different hermits and funny you mention them eating superglue as bought a halloween hermit crab last month and got little savage eating i think couple mini hermits and seen him eating tentacles/ spines off tuxedo urchin so pushed him away then thought i target feed him with long coral feeder i got and nas snails came up from under the sand and went to grab some the frozen food off halloween hermit so he casually flipped nas snail over and started eating the snail lol so put it in sump then it started eating the silicone in sump so started making a prison out egg crate but decided easier put him in breeder box and back off to lfs he went the next day ha ha

 

[ying yang]

Good start. Keep him eating! Good luck.

Thanks. Hopefully be ok,i try my best to make everything run smoothly as possible but i know not everything will run smoothly all the time but we can only try right.
Im a plumber so lots plastic pipe/ fittings so if did get problem him eating ive seen videos on others making stuff out off plastic pipe end caps and drilled some holes in so only copperband can fit his snout in,wouldnt take to long to make but no need so far so touch wood all goes ok ^_^

 

[Goaway]

You got a beautiful cbb. Im happy for you .
I love my feather dusters. The cbb would eat them all in an hour.