Copperband buterfly

I have had my copperband for almost 3 months he was eating frozen stuff great but would not touch the dried food . Last night everything was fine swimming and eating and now this morning I'm afraid he is not going to make it ( laying on the bottom and when he dose move around dosent look good the power heads push him around ) the rest of the tank looks great and water test fine . Now that I have done some reading I guess I shouldnt have got him because my tank is kinda new . I havent had any water problems and he has been eating fine any Ideas what might have went rong ? He is not skinny and looks great just not much energy left in him

 

Doesnt seem to be anythign you have done wrong. Sometimes its just time for a fish to die.

 

Sorry to hear that your having problems Fuzz. I have had some copprrbands in the past and don't think that I'll be giving them another try. Not sure what you are feeding him, but most of the frozen foods are high in protein and thats about it, no other nutrients. The last time I had one it lasted for about 14 months and the same thing that happened to you happened. One day fine the next not so good. That time I soaked mysis and brine shrimp in vita-chem a few time weekly, that seemd to just delay it longer so maybe someone else has some input too.

 

Copperbands are finicky butterflyfish and are normally considered as coral eaters. They do tend to be skiddish fish as well leading to elevated stress levels.
Once a fish gets to that point where it has elevated breathing and resting on the bottom of the tank the fish will succumb to death within a day or so unfortunately.
Sorry!

 

From eating and looking great to dead in less than 18 hours ? not sure I will try one of those again .

 

Its not at all unusual for a tank with in 3 months to have a little ammonia and nitrite spike and I feel you just found out the reason I cycle all my tanks for 3 to 4 months . Tank was just to new and the little spike that can come and go with in hrs has burned his gills .. sometimes there will be reddish looking spots and or areas around the area not always

I just wish you guys would forget about l/R ad or dead shrimp and such to quick cycle and adding animals in a few weeks it seldom works and most just never tell you.

I would also never add a copperband to a tank that new anyways at a yr I may consider it..You don't have an anemone in the tank do you ?

 

Did he have any scale on him that looked like they are raised or anything? Angels and Butterfly are known for internal parasites. I found out the hard way. I now pre treat them with prazi pro

 

The tank is in its 7th month . I purchased the package from Tampa bay salt water in March ( live rock,sand and CUC ) I never did have much of a Nitrite or Amonia spike the stuff is shipped fresh and wet with akk kinds of critters . I didnt start adding fish untill after the second month .
just checked water again

PH 8.2
NO3 2.5
Alk 2.0
NH3 0
NO2 0
CA 420 temp 76

I do 20G water changes every other week .
My soft corals and other fish are doing fine so I don't think it was the water but it could have been . I have a clown ,2 fire fish and a yellow tang and the butterfly was not at all intimidated by the tang .