Age Old question...copperbands.....

[wontonflip]

Is the difficulty of the fish merely the eating part? I'm about to string up my kole tang, and tempted do a trade for a copperband that's eating voraciously....assuming this copperband is a healthy eater, is there any other issue with keeping one? (Knowing, of course, that he could just stop eating once I put him in my tank.)

 

[little_fish]

Many of the copperbands that are eating have parasites so they still starve, so I would be sure that you deworm it. I would also make sure to get some new food that also has sponges. If you can I would also see if you can find someone who also has a nem you can feed him. I personally think part of the problem with these guys is that we dont give them the foods they need to flourish, basically sponges, nems and corals.

 

[wontonflip]

Thanks, fish....I'll have to rethink them. I might just go ahead and get another watchman goby :D My sand's gettin' dirty!

 

[little_fish]

Ya, i personally think its the lack of anything resembling their natural diet that eventually does the healthy ones in.

 

[wontonflip]

Damn my conscience LOL

 

[little_fish]

sorry! I really wish they werent so damn fickle

 

[Samhain]

Therein lies the problem of doing the right thing! Especially in this hobby, if you choose to do the right thing, you can't always have things exactly the way you want them. I know more than once I've found myself going, "But, but, but I WANNA!" Good luck, and as Dr. Laura says, now go do the right thing!

 

[Northstar24]

Torn on one of these myself as well. I have a serious apstaisa problem, and my melanurus has made a snack out of the peppermints that I added to try and fight them. I've had good luck getting finicky fish to eat, but I'm more worried about the copperband going after my clam or the few corals that I have.

How reef compatible are these guys?

 

[wontonflip]

From what I've read, they're not reef compatible. Such beautiful fish though. I had one as my computer desktop background at one point :) I guess I'll have to settle for artificial ones!

 

[Northstar24]

From what I've read, its the same as any 'with caution' fish - some of them go after coral and others don't touch it. Everyone is in agreement on the fact that they will eat Anemones and feather dusters (I don't have and dont plan on keeping either)

 

[wontonflip]

From what I've read, its the same as any 'with caution' fish - some of them go after coral and others don't touch it. Everyone is in agreement on the fact that they will eat Anemones and feather dusters (I don't have and dont plan on keeping either)

That's what I meant :mrgreen: