My Sunburst anthius stopped eating normal foods and they just want worms. Very small worms at that which is unfortunate for them because I don't feed live worms every day as I don't think they are good as a stable diet. Fish get to fat on them and they are probably missing some things that salt water fish need which is the reason I feed mostly shellfish, fish eggs etc.
If they keep up this diet, they won't be here long as I have seen this happen multiple times and I always feed other things before I give them worms.
To me, (and quite a few scientists) the live worms provide living bacteria and it is "my" theory that that is "one" of the reasons my fish are immune from just about everything. Except starvation, Rap music and jumping out.
Fish, and all animals depend on their stomach flora for their immunity. Lately this theory is all over the place, I just read about it again yesterday in this months (I Think) Discover Magazine. And a few months ago in National Geographic.
Yes, those are not scientific publications but what they publish is excerpts from scientific papers and they don't just let the guy who sweeps the floor write that stuff.
Copper, and all medications especially antibiotics will kill stomach bacteria. (One reason door knobs and hand rails used to be made of copper or brass was to kill bacteria. Now it is to expensive) That specific bacteria has been multiplying in the fish since it was born and grows depending on what the fish was eating including the pathogens in it's diet. The stomach flora changes to accommodate or kill pathogens the fish encounters or eats.
It would be great if we could inject fish with medications instead of soaking the fish in it but due to the fishes size, lack of available veins, that would be very difficult for the average aquarist.
I have to go for a tooth implant and before I go I have to take some antibiotics.
(for some reason, if you get a new knee or some other part, you may have to take an antibiotic for the rest of your life before you have dental work)
But the dentist gave me antibiotic pills, he didn't tell me to take a bath in the stuff. :p
This may screw up my stomach, but humans have a very long intestinal tract and those antibiotics will be absorbed in the very beginning so they will not effect the gut flora in the rest of my intestines.
If someone has cancer and need to have chemo or radiation, that totally kills just about everything and that person is left with no immunity at all.
After Chemo those people don't look good at all.