Idol wants to kill my copperband?

[unklez]

Last week I added a Idol to my tank, copperband has been in my tank for 5 months.
Since these last 2 days the Idol is getting agressive with feeding time doesn't want anyone to eat the mussel. Also saw some little agression outside of feeding time.

I'm afraid the copperband will die out of stress or an Idol attack. Any tips?

 

[unklez]

Feeding the Idol mussel and the copperband masstick now seems to go well. Idol even scared my 2 clownfish into an anemone they didnt host for a year lol.

 

[mattzang]

is it relentlessly chasing the cbb around? or is it just a food thing?

feed two mussels on either side of the tank so the idol can't defend both?

 

[OrionN]

Agree. Multiple feeding station is method to routinely decrease aggression. Instead of just split the shellfish i use a knife to cut it so each shell have meat attach to it and drop it on opposite end of the tank.
I use two or three clips of nori. When I dump food into the tank I dumped it right at the PH and the food dispersed everywhere. The automated feeder dumps food right at the PH and the food gets dispersed everywhere too. Feeding this way, everybody got plenty of food. My PBT, King Joe II, can't keep the angels and the Yellow and Purple tangs from eating.

 

[unklez]

After having the Idol longer in my tank it doesnt seem he wants to kill anyone but rather secure all the food\mussels in the tank for himself by making agressive moves around the fish. I now put 2 mussels on each side of the tank but there is still some agression from the Idol as he swims to the other side aswell and continues to scare the copperband and other smaller fish. Guess they just have to live with it.

I may rehome the copperband but its so healthy and fat i dont wanna lose it.

 

[MnFish1]

I feed LRS - which I take (still frozen ) - and hold with my hand in the tank - so that the food chunks/pieces float around - that way everyone gets some - an there is no fighting. If the cpperband looks good - I would let them be. Its my opinion that the 'stress' occurs more when there is constant chasing - not an occasional blip - of course like you said - you do need to make sure everything is fed. My copper band when first in the tank - was chased by a tang for 2-3 weeks - and I had the same thought - someone was going to have to go - but now they are fine.

 

[najer]

As above I also hold the frozen in pumps on but my copperband takes it from my fingers and others have to wait for bits! ;)

 

[mattzang]

yeah i'd try to hand feed the cbb. mine is in with a bunch of smaller fish, but the cbb just doesn't seem comfortable to get in there and battle it out for feed despite the smaller fish, so i try to hand feed a bit of LRS once a day now

although now i have a heniochus and it is more than ok eating from my hand too. and my kamohara blenny rolls up too which makes me a bit nervous, not trying to get bit by a fang blenny lol