Quarantined Copperband Experience - TSM

[AustiniteReefer]

Just wanted to come on here and share my experience buying a quarantined CBB from TSM Aquatics. After (unsuccessfully) trying my luck with 3 different CBB's from my LFS in the past year, I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase a quarantined specimen from TSM Aquatics. Josh was very nice and responsive to all of my doubts and concerns (I pre-ordered in December 2023 and received the fish last Tuesday). I was super nervous as this was my first time ever buying a fish online. After temp acclimating him for 45 minutes, I dropped him into the tank with the lights off. He was acting a little funny the first two days (I'm assuming from all the stress of being shipped) but after the second day he was chowing down on everything I threw in the tank! Frozen bloodworms and spirulina mysis from Hikari, live blackworms, PE mysis and thinly sliced littleneck clams. Contrary to what some people say, he is definitely hunting down the pods on my rocks and back glass. My tank was running fallow for the last three months and the pod population increased like C R A Z Y! I am beyond happy with my purchase and with my CB as the other 3 I tried all died within a week from starvation. Nothing can beat the joy I get seeing this little guy eat
I tried getting a video of him during lunch time . He gets thawed bloodworms for breakfast, thawed mysis for lunch, and sliced clam for dinner.

 

[wisnia99]

Good job!
I got lucky, Mine eats from my hand haha its the most brave fish in my tank

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Good job!
I got lucky, Mine eats from my hand haha its the most brave fish in my tank

Nice! Mine has started to recognize the chopsticks I use to feed and goes crazy the moment he sees em. Can't wait for the day he eats out of my hands as well

 

[AustiniteReefer]

I forgot to add: he came in nice and plump! Nothing like the paper-thin/starving specimens you usually find at LFS

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Well, it's about to be three months with my little Ceviche and he's been nothing but a joy to have after past failed attempts at keeping CBBs. Here's some pictures of him from this morning before breakfast time Isn't he a stunner?!

 

[Ajayabb]

Love those fish. Glad to here you had a good experience with TSM

 

[smitten with ocean life]

so happy for you!! im giving it another try. my first one didnt survive. the replacement comes this week. this gives me hope! ( i didnt get it from the same place)

 

[Om84]

Great work. Any luck with Aiptasia?

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Love those fish. Glad to here you had a good experience with TSM

I was so impressed I actually placed my second order from them a few days ago! Ceviche is getting a long nosed partner in crime Seems like they should get along with no aggression based on what I've seen posted by others who kept both together.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

so happy for you!! im giving it another try. my first one didnt survive. the replacement comes this week. this gives me hope! ( i didnt get it from the same place)

Thank you and good luck! Was your last one quarantined? Before this one, I tried keeping three other CBBs and they all died from flukes (insane head twitching and flashing against the rocks before gasping for air at the water surface and slowly dying).

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Great work. Any luck with Aiptasia?

Luckily I haven't had any Aiptasias in years! I started seeing a few pop up back in 2018 but I nipped the problem at the bud and got some nudis to take care of the issue. The last pest I had was a bobbit worm back in January...

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yes, it was. looks like you are getting another beauty!

 

[Rp8]

Love mine! Luckily she is very hardy and great personality

 

[AustiniteReefer]

Love mine! Luckily she is very hardy and great personality

The little dance and head twitching they do when they know they're about to be fed is the best

 

[jtf74]

I was so impressed I actually placed my second order from them a few days ago! Ceviche is getting a long nosed partner in crime Seems like they should get along with no aggression based on what I've seen posted by others who kept both together.

My yellow longnose and cbb are usually together several inches apart and get along great. The little longnose was weary of all my fish at first being the smallest but almost instanly realized the cbb was no threat. These two now are my favorites. Always out, can be hand fed. The yellow will swim into about anything for food and came out of the bag ready to eat.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

My yellow longnose and cbb are usually together several inches apart and get along great. The little longnose was weary of all my fish at first being the smallest but almost instanly realized the cbb was no threat. These two now are my favorites. Always out, can be hand fed. The yellow will swim into about anything for food and came out of the bag ready to eat.

This is great to hear! I can't wait for my longnose to arrive

 

[AustiniteReefer]

My Longnose butterfly from TSM arrived yesterday... He's the smallest longnose I've ever seen! Totally adorable

 

[jtf74]

They are one of my favorites. Mine always goes for the biggest chunks of food instead of the small pieces it can actually eat. At first I had to really chop down any seafood and buy a small enough mysis for it to eat.

 

[AustiniteReefer]

They are one of my favorites. Mine always goes for the biggest chunks of food instead of the small pieces it can actually eat. At first I had to really chop down any seafood and buy a small enough mysis for it to eat.

I've been having luck with thawed Hikari bloodworms. I tried PE mysis but they were too big for him to even pay them any attention... At least the CBB goes after those first and leaves the worms for the Longnose. Here he is chowing down on some bloodworms.