Our new Copperband

[Aparker2005]

So I came in today and the copperband was pinned in a rock. I had to get it out as it was beyond stressed. It crashed into another rock and I thought it died.

Got it to the qt and now it's up and swimming, but definitely has a little mouth, tail damage, and a scale or 2 it's side missing.

I'm so glad it wasn't dead. Now if I can just get it to eat in this qt tank while I try to get the bellus out, maybe I can save it. It's definitely become our favorite fish and we definitely don't want to lose it.

 

[Aparker2005]

So going forward with our 125 and removing the Bellus Angel..... What non aggressive fish do you recommend to keep with the copperband? We thought a bellus was safe after reading, and it's turned out to be a terror to only the copperband. Otherwise it's a wonderful fish, but we love the copperband more.

Currently with no issues with the copperband we have:
Foxface
2 clowns
Royal Gramma
Melanaurus Wrasse
2 Bangai Cardinals
3 Anthias
Yellow Assessor
Firefish
Yellow watchman goby
Orange stripe goby

Definitely planning on a leopard, and a few other wrasse. We were maybe thinking of a flame angel, but now with the copperband being so delicate, we're a little shy on what to add now.

We thought we were through aggression after getting rid of our PBT lol.

 

[zheka757]

A tang?

 

[i cant think]

A tang?

These guys can be nasty with CBBs, in my experience the best ones to go with when keeping a CBB are from the Ctenochaetus genus.

As for the OP, generally anything like wrasses, gobies, blennies are all good with CBBs.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So going forward with our 125 and removing the Bellus Angel..... What non aggressive fish do you recommend to keep with the copperband? We thought a bellus was safe after reading, and it's turned out to be a terror to only the copperband. Otherwise it's a wonderful fish, but we love the copperband more.

Currently with no issues with the copperband we have:
Foxface
2 clowns
Royal Gramma
Melanaurus Wrasse
2 Bangai Cardinals
3 Anthias
Yellow Assessor
Firefish
Yellow watchman goby
Orange stripe goby

Definitely planning on a leopard, and a few other wrasse. We were maybe thinking of a flame angel, but now with the copperband being so delicate, we're a little shy on what to add now.

We thought we were through aggression after getting rid of our PBT lol.

That is so strange - I've never had a Genicanthus angel show aggression like that (but I haven't kept a Bellus for many years).

Jay

 

[Aparker2005]

Reintroduced it's feeder to the qt tank and I still haven't seen it attempt to eat its favorite foods even yet, that I've seen anyway. It's been 24 hours with no food if that's the case. It's went without on weekend trips before so I'm not too worried just yet.

Really hoping it turns around and starts back eating good like it was and it's not too late.

Here's an updated picture

 

[Aparker2005]

That is so strange - I've never had a Genicanthus angel show aggression like that (but I haven't kept a Bellus for many years).

Jay

Yeah we were very surprised. From everything we read, this was the perfect, peaceful angel.

Seems we can't introduce anything with a possible temper as they immediately start going after the copperband.

 

[Aparker2005]

Also hoping I can soon catch the Bellus, and move the copperband back to the main display where it will hopefully get back to normal.

Likely gonna be having to sell the Bellus to a friend.

 

[i cant think]

Reintroduced it's feeder to the qt tank and I still haven't seen it attempt to eat its favorite foods even yet, that I've seen anyway. It's been 24 hours with no food if that's the case. It's went without on weekend trips before so I'm not too worried just yet.

Really hoping it turns around and starts back eating good like it was and it's not too late.

Here's an updated picture

Unfortunately as you moved the CBB, it’ll be a risk. Your CBB has already undergone a lot of stress from the Bellus but then it got moved again into a new environment which will cause more stress. Ideally it would’ve been best keeping the CBB in the established reef with plenty of microfauna for him to graze on and then take out the bellus Angel instead as these guys tend to not get as stressed when it comes to moving tanks.

 

[Treefer32]

I had a copperband for 3 years. He ate my home made mix of selcon, amino acids, freeze dried mysis, costco: Frozen scallops, tuna, and shrimp. All ground down while frozen and then mixed and packed together. I had my copperband eating out of my hand everyday. Until my Creole Anthia decided he wanted to eat out of my hand and the CBB stopped coming up for food, he pecked at rocks and would occassionally eat the food that floated by him.

I just lost him over thanks giving, I had him right at the 3 year mark. I don't now why other than the Creole anthia got so big and dominant for food that the CBB just lost his playfulness and got too stressed. It was sad! the CBBs are so smart and will play with you if you interact with them!

I had gotten one for my Aitasia as well. It was that or tear down my tank. Every rock, and my entire sand bed as well as my glass were covered in aiptasia in a 340 gallon display. It was tens of thousands of aiptasia. Within 6 months of having the CBB I couldn't find a single aiptasia anywhere in the tank. It was so weird, because it was slow at first. I thought they were thinning out, but wasn't sure, then all of a sudden I noticed a couple rocks with no aiptasia and had to look back at pictures to realize an entire swath had been cleared out. The aiptasia on the sand bed slowly and gradually disappeared too.

CBBs are voracious eaters! Tons of pods and supplemental food for them is needed to keep them healthy. However, they do well as long as they are hunting for food. Mine never stopped hunting. So, I honestly don't know what killed mine. My parameters were a bit high too. Nitrates hitting between 40-50. So, I don't know if it was water quality, a combination of increasing agression from one or two other fish, or he hit his life expectancy for a CBB in captivity.

 

[exnisstech]

Reintroduced it's feeder to the qt tank and I still haven't seen it attempt to eat its favorite foods even yet, that I've seen anyway. It's been 24 hours with no food if that's the case. It's went without on weekend trips before so I'm not too worried just yet.

Really hoping it turns around and starts back eating good like it was and it's not too late.

Here's an updated picture

You mentioned it had mouth damage? Not to be a downer but mouth damage can be a death sentence because the fish can't / won't eat.

 

[i cant think]

I had a copperband for 3 years. He ate my home made mix of selcon, amino acids, freeze dried mysis, costco: Frozen scallops, tuna, and shrimp. All ground down while frozen and then mixed and packed together. I had my copperband eating out of my hand everyday. Until my Creole Anthia decided he wanted to eat out of my hand and the CBB stopped coming up for food, he pecked at rocks and would occassionally eat the food that floated by him.

I just lost him over thanks giving, I had him right at the 3 year mark. I don't now why other than the Creole anthia got so big and dominant for food that the CBB just lost his playfulness and got too stressed. It was sad! the CBBs are so smart and will play with you if you interact with them!

I had gotten one for my Aitasia as well. It was that or tear down my tank. Every rock, and my entire sand bed as well as my glass were covered in aiptasia in a 340 gallon display. It was tens of thousands of aiptasia. Within 6 months of having the CBB I couldn't find a single aiptasia anywhere in the tank. It was so weird, because it was slow at first. I thought they were thinning out, but wasn't sure, then all of a sudden I noticed a couple rocks with no aiptasia and had to look back at pictures to realize an entire swath had been cleared out. The aiptasia on the sand bed slowly and gradually disappeared too.

CBBs are voracious eaters! Tons of pods and supplemental food for them is needed to keep them healthy. However, they do well as long as they are hunting for food. Mine never stopped hunting. So, I honestly don't know what killed mine. My parameters were a bit high too. Nitrates hitting between 40-50. So, I don't know if it was water quality, a combination of increasing agression from one or two other fish, or he hit his life expectancy for a CBB in captivity.

You’ll likely find that your creole anthias bullied the CBB when you weren’t looking and eventually it got bad enough to stop the CBB from eating as much and eventually either starving it out or stressing it out until death.

 

[Aparker2005]

You mentioned it had mouth damage? No to be a downer but mouth damage can be a death sentence because the fish can't / won't eat.

I was worried about that. It looks like a tiny little abscess on top. Not sure if it's bacterial or from trying to get away from the Bellus.

 

[i cant think]

I was worried about that. It looks like a tiny little abscess on top. Not sure if it's bacterial or from trying to get away from the Bellus.

Do you have a photo of it?

 

[Aparker2005]

Do you have a photo of it?

Moreso on the bottom now

 

[i cant think]

Moreso on the bottom now

The crooked mouth doesn’t give me hope unfortunately - usually mouth damage like this will leave them unable to eat properly and lead them to starve.

 

[Tamberav]

That is so strange - I've never had a Genicanthus angel show aggression like that (but I haven't kept a Bellus for many years).

Jay

I tried a bellus once… that fish was mean… chased the fire fish and flasher wrasses all over. I thought it was just me till this thread.

 

[i cant think]

If I’m honest, Genicanthus melanospilos, Genicanthus semifasciatus and Genicanthus caudivittatus seem to be among the most reef safe and peaceful. I recommend looking into them if you want a Genicanthus that may not show as much aggression (if any) to a CBB.
Although I am biased to those three species.

 

[Aparker2005]

This trap taking forever to come in is making me mad. I really want to get this Bellus out asap and move the copperband back to the 125 so it may can start back picking at rocks if it can. It's beak isn't crooked or anything, it just has a small little fuzz looking spot on the bottom. It actually looks much better today.

Still no signs of eating yet. It looks at worms or brine but won't eat it yet. I am so mad as we had it eating everything we were giving it just about, and then the stupid Bellus just goes rogue against it.

I broke a few frags today trying to get it out of the display with no success. The tiniest hole it finds and slips right through when I finally have it in a good spot.

 

[Aparker2005]

So this would probably stress the fish out even more, but would temporarily moving it to our 20g tank with an established reef, pair of clowns, and a purple dotty back be a bad idea? It would at least have stuff to pick at and possibly eat until I get the bellus out.