Copperband pain?

[bbarnett]

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/ArticleCopperbandAiptasia.html

also

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/LettersAiptasia.html

Doesn't look like Copperbands are a good idea.

[babblefish1960]

It is an interesting report that obviously shows the inherent nature of the internet and the ability to spread quickly incorrect and sometimes clearly misleading information. It is sad to hear of his loss, as these are incredibly beautiful fish, yet still a mystery.

I applaud Mr. Levi's willingness to speak out about the failure of his experiment, and more importantly, his successive efforts to clear up the erroneous claims by someone who is clearly misdirecting the public for unknown reasons.

I imagine that appropriate stewardship of the wild nature of fish keeping would be to make certain species simply unavailable until someone discovers how to keep them alive.

[babblefish1960]

The second link you added seems to corroborate the findings of the first link while taking the information even further.

They are well written, clearly fascinating in that they challenge the misinformation and band wagon jumping that seems to pervade both elements of the hobby, beginning of course with the dealers.

We all know that even though it is illegal to catch fish with arsenic and other poisons, it still occurs, we have a pretty good idea where, so it begs the question, why do we buy fish from these collectors?

Both of these articles remind me of the 70's when saltwater really started to become more popular, and we all had a tank in the home that was really nothing more than a living graveyard, waiting for our very expensive fish to die.

It would seem that what is available now is absolutely amazing, yet there is the problem of this information being passed about so easily via internet, and what have we learned? You really can't believe everything that you read, sad really, and happily, there are reports such as this that work hard at clarifying some of the falsehoods out there.

I guess the trick is to get folks to read the better advice.

[tandao78]

Last week I have lost my copperband of more than 2 years old.  Yes copperband are extremely finicky eater and NO I have not seen my copperband eat any Aptasia.   

To this day I cannot find the reason for its death as there was no sign of starvation.  No sign of any infection or disease. 

[assiegordon]

I don't know if this is totally true.  It was a good article, but both are written by the same individual.  There has been many other people that have had good success (on RC) with CBB.  I've had about 7 pieces of aptasia in my tank, some imbedded in my lobo brain.  I have a CBB, and have seen it pick at the aptasia.  Actually, within two days of adding the CBB, I have no aptasia to be found, anywhere in the tank.  My CBB is not a picky eater, and will go after the blood worms, mysis, cyclopeez with the rest of it's tank mates.  Eats well.  Sure worked for me.  Wouldn't recommend a CBB for all tanks, it is a more delicate fish and easily spooks.

Jim.

[gvv]

It seems to me that the problem is where did the particular fish come from. We never know what it was eating in wild, so some of them in one part of the ocean ate aiptasia before and know how to deal with it, while the other fish from different part of the ocean never saw it before and does not know it can be a snack... Even both of them have the same name.
So, as people usually saying - there is a chance it will eat. And maybe not.
And when we are talking about CBB -  it is probably 10-20% chance that it will leave longer than few month in a tank. You may have the same chances with moorish idol...

Regards