What disease does my Copperband Butterfly have?

Lou Chorich · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Hi all,

I've had my copperband butterfly for one month now. It eats well, and acts
normally. However, I have noticed a few white clumps on the dorsal fin.
I've had cryptocaryon in the tank earlier this year, and I think I may still
have some low grade crypto activity. However, these white clumps on the
fins don't look like crypto to me. They are relatively large and have some
tiny black dots in them. I took some photos and posted them to the web page
below. Any thoughts regarding diagnosis and treatment are appreciated.

Thanks,

Lou Chorich

http://home.columbus.rr.com/chorich/copperband.htm

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>marine>reefs

DefLizard · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

What disease does my Copperband Butterfly have?

Group: rec.aquaria.marine.reefs Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2003, 1:05am (PDT+7)
From: cheyenne@columbus.rr.com (Lou Chorich)
Hi all,
I've had my copperband butterfly for one month now. It eats well, and
acts normally. However, I have noticed a few white clumps on the dorsal
fin. I've had cryptocaryon in the tank earlier this year, and I think I
may still have some low grade crypto activity. However, these white
clumps on the fins don't look like crypto to me. They are relatively
large and have some tiny black dots in them. I took some photos and
posted them to the web page below. Any thoughts regarding diagnosis and
treatment are appreciated.
Thanks,
Lou Chorich
http://home.columbus.rr.com/chorich/copperband.htm
******************************************************
Lymphocystis, a viral condition, usually comes when fish are stressed or
not living under ideal water conditions. Stress can be confinement in
an enclosure (like an aquarium) and less then ideal water conditions
(artificial sea water is not the same as ocean water, plus there is no
measureable nitrate in natural sea water Wink

)
Fortunately, this condition generally goes away on its own, and there is
no effective treatment, and none is necessary. (any treatment generally
further stresses the fish). Copperbands are considered to be one of the
most sensitive and difficult to keep of Butterflyfish, need to be kept
under the most ideal of water conditions (a large reef tank) and require
an almost exclusive diet of live foods (they eat amongst other things
copepods, anthropods, aiptasia anemones, and have been known to eat
coral polyps, as well), and although they can be trained to eat prepared
(dead) foods, they are short lived in most aquariums without a steady
diet of live foods. Ciao

http://community.webtv.net/deflizard/doc
regards, John