Redoing my 187 gallon (making a reef) Super Pic Heavy!

[fishfreak2009]

Mom and dad were so happy with how the tank looks, they took me to the LFS again today! I got three new animals! Pics of them, but still none of the shrimp (I did see him cleaning both angels though). I purchased a greedily feeding copperband butterfly, a lubbock's fairy wrasse, and a blue linckia starfish (which is already grazing on my nori after a 2 hour drip acclimation. Nitrates are officialy at 2ppm, and there's no ammonia or nitrite.

Pics:

 

[FLESHY]

I hope the copperbanded keeps feeding. One of my favorite fish, pictures can never do them justice, just not the hardiest.

 

[fishfreak2009]

Ya, about the copperband. It kept eating but it passed away last night. The fish looked great when I bought it, but it rapidly broke down and died. I called the LFS today, and apparently all of the other copperbands from the shipment also broke down like that. What sucks even more is that it lasted less than 24 hours, but the store doesn't guarantee any saltwater fish.

Good news is that everything else still looks good. I got a magnetic algae cleaner for the tank, and $180 to spend on any fish I want for the tank for christmas.

 

[nonstophoops]

Ya, about the copperband. It kept eating but it passed away last night. The fish looked great when I bought it, but it rapidly broke down and died. I called the LFS today, and apparently all of the other copperbands from the shipment also broke down like that. What sucks even more is that it lasted less than 24 hours, but the store doesn't guarantee any saltwater fish.

Good news is that everything else still looks good. I got a magnetic algae cleaner for the tank, and $180 to spend on any fish I want for the tank for christmas.

All too common with the Copperbands unfortunately, even when they are eating. That is why I steer clear of them. The only way I would consider getting one is from another hobbyist that was established for quite some time. Nothing straight from the ocean.

Tank is looking great other than that though. I really like the color on the star.

 

[fishfreak2009]

I agree completely, that is now my 5th copperband in 6 years, and I've decided to just completely avoid them now... just too heart-breaking for me.

 

[FLESHY]

I will be getting one...time and place are just the question.

I like to think now I can just wholesale one and get it to live, we will see.

 

[fishfreak2009]

Went to the LFS today to spend some Christmas cash on a cleaner shrimp. All the shrimp were sick looking or dead, so I ended up picking up 2 more Lubbock's Fairy Wrasses for the tank. I also ended up buying 12 baby black lace angelfish for $12, and a healthy, heavily feeding motoro stingray for $110.

 

[fishfreak2009]

Well, it's been a while since I updated but here it goes... All the fish are in the old sump going through a cupramine treatment as we speak, because the copperband that died managed to bring in Marine Velvet. So far, the velvet has killed my royal gramma, all three Lubbock's Fairy Wrasses, and my prized bicolor angelfish. all future additions to the tank will go through a 1 month quarantine, and the tank will currently be sitting fishless (but it still has all the inverts in it) for a full 6 weeks, with 2 UV sterilizers going (I added another one the same size and brand as the one that's on there now).

While the tank sits fishless, is it safe to add another cleaner shrimp and a BTA (my butterfly seems to leave all the corals alone that are in there)?

 

[fishfreak2009]

Lost the pearlscale butterfly and the coral beauty today...

 

[nonstophoops]

Well, it's been a while since I updated but here it goes... All the fish are in the old sump going through a cupramine treatment as we speak, because the copperband that died managed to bring in Marine Velvet. So far, the velvet has killed my royal gramma, all three Lubbock's Fairy Wrasses, and my prized bicolor angelfish. all future additions to the tank will go through a 1 month quarantine, and the tank will currently be sitting fishless (but it still has all the inverts in it) for a full 6 weeks, with 2 UV sterilizers going (I added another one the same size and brand as the one that's on there now).

While the tank sits fishless, is it safe to add another cleaner shrimp and a BTA (my butterfly seems to leave all the corals alone that are in there)?

Yes, adding a shrimp would be just fine while the tank is fish less.

Many angelfish do not respond well to copper treatments. Particularly Centropyge species like your Coral Beauty. For future reference you will want to use something else with them.

It is a very good idea to quarantine all new fish and I am glad you are now going to do so. It will help save you money and lots of trying work and time.