Yellow longnose, stopped eating in cupramine

Tyson · Sep 25, 2017

I've had a yellow longnose butterfly in QT for 2 weeks now. It pigged out on everything frozen I dropped in the tank from day one. After about 5 or 6 days of observation I started dosing cupramine. Brought it up real slow to .4 mg/L over 3-4 days. Unfortunately now, I haven't seen it eat since cupramine has been therapeutic. I think its been about 5 days since I've seen it eat and I'm thinking I need to change something. Is it time to pull the copper and try to get it eating again? I haven't found a lot of posts with people's experience treating YLN butterflies with copper. Maybe try switching to coppersafe? I could also try TTM, though I've never done it before. Fish looks quite healthy and I don't suspect anything, but after a few bouts with velvet on newcomers I'm super paranoid at putting in anything in the DT without a full run through copper.

Humblefish · Sep 25, 2017

Some fish just cannot tolerate copper. I would remove all the copper and get the butterfly eating again. We can figure out where to go from there, depending upon how he is looking. The most important thing right now is to just get him eating again.

Tyson · Sep 25, 2017

Thanks Humble, I'll start running some carbon when I get home this afternoon and get ready for a water change. Hopefully the appetite comes back in the net day or 2, I'll keep you posted.

Tyson · Oct 2, 2017

Well, this is a bummer, but I just cant get this guy to eat anything. I've tried just about everything except live black worms, with no luck, and don't have any easy access to those. I've also noticed what looks like a bit of lymph around the end of its mouth now. It's getting pretty skinny, so I don't have high hopes. For the first week it practically begged for food as soon as I walked up to the tank, now it will barely takes notice of anything in there.

Anyone else have success treating YLN with copper? If this doesn't work out I'll probably give it another shot. Possibly with coppersafe instead of cupramine. If it looks healthy I may give it a couple weeks in QT before I start treatment next time around. Thoughts?

Humblefish · Oct 2, 2017

Have you tried offering a littleneck clam (from the grocery store)? Live brine shrimp? Frozen mysis or brine? Any of the LRS foods?

I would also see if you can get Nutramar ova or Reef Nutrition ROE.

justinm · Oct 2, 2017

Nutramar ova, live brine and live clams have been my go to for picky eaters.

Tyson · Oct 5, 2017

Thanks for the suggestions. I did try clams, brine and LRS, still no luck. It went to town on mysis and just about every other frozen offering during the first week without cupramine. Unfortunately, I woke up yesterday and he had passed

Anyone have much experience treating a YLN with copper? As soon as I hit about .3 with cupramine he completely lost interest in anything I put in the tank, and never got the appetite back after I removed it. I'd like to try another at some point, but didn't know if other treatments options were better, maybe coppersafe? I don't want a repeat and starve another healthy looking fish

Humblefish · Oct 5, 2017

It's been years since I've treated any butterfly with copper (I only use CP on them now); but years ago when I did maintenance we housed a CBB & YLN is almost every client's tank. Those always went through 30 days of Coppersafe, and I don't remember it being a big deal with them.

Sorry for your loss