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#1
09/19/2007, 06:50 PM
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Help with my Copperbanded butterfly!!!
Hi- I need some advice/help- In my 55 gal reef, I just added a Copperbanded butterflyfish last Friday, as we have had a massive outbreak of aptaisias. In the 55 , we have a Maroon clown, a Palefin tang, a chromis, a 3 striped Dascylles damsel, and a 14 in snowflake eel. My husband caled me on my way home today to tell me that apparently the eel had bitten off the top "lip" of the butterfly- When I got here, I cried as soon as I saw him- not only is his top lip gone, but it is just a floaty shread of his bottom lip left- We know almost for sure it was the eel because of the "v" shaped way that it was bitten off- I am concerned because I don't know if we should move him to quarentine- if doing that would stress him out to the point of death, or if we should leave him in there, and either way I don't even know if he will be able to eat or not! I don't know if he is hurting- he is swimming around like he is not, but I don't know if he is just in shock or what- I am just so worried, I don't want to lose him if there is something I can do to save him. From the looks of there rest of the tank, as far as corals,inverts go, they are all looking a bit ragged, so I would assume that there was a fight that resulted in the loss of his lips. I am sure he was just rooting around ,as they are inclined to do, and he stuck his nose in the hole where the eel was and the eel just mistook it for a piece of food. Either way, I am desperate for any help anyone can give me- He is so pitiful, it breaks my heart to even look at him in there now!!! Please help!!!!
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#2
09/19/2007, 06:59 PM
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Should be moved into a recovery tank, though it doesn't sound good. Use water from the display tank to help reduce stress. You may want to remove any parts that are "floaty shreds". Monitor for secondary infection.
Don't know what else to say other than we're sorry to read this.
__________________
Always quarantine. You never know where that fish has been. |
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#3
09/19/2007, 08:49 PM
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I agree with Roger. Move him and let him recover without disturbance.
Keep water quality high to fend off infection....hopefully he will eat. I have tried pipetting food in front of sick fish before to get them to eat, but first get him to a safe place. |
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#4
09/22/2007, 11:10 PM
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Thank you for your input- We have decided to move the eel into the 75 with the Picasso trigger- they are old tank mates- "Butters" seems to be doing alright- I guess as well as can be expected- We are just so afraid to move him into the 29gal for fear that it will just over-stress him- that's why we are moving the eel instead- it just seems more practical ,and the water quality in the 55 where he is now is impeccable- We have been feeding mysis shrimp to that tank, as I have heard and read that they are palatable to Coppers- I see him going around the tank in the "picking" position- I feel so horrible for him, it breaks my heart- I don't want to see him starve himself to death- that is such a senseless and hideous death- I am just trying to do the best things I can to make his life as good as feasibly possible, you know?? I know those of you who have been in similar situations can empathize with me on this- Again, thank you for your advice- I will keep you posted.... Dianne
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#6
10/02/2007, 09:42 PM
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To feed him you might try California blackworms, They can suck these in without having to pick with their nose. There are a couple of places on the internet you can order them. I use Wormman.com. My Copperbanded (and most other fish), love these things
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#8
10/03/2007, 01:15 PM
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Dude a CBB will never ever every work in your setup. The number one factor to keeping a CBB is NO aggressors and your tank is nothing but that. He has no chance in that tank
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