Angels and Butterflies in The Reef Tank

[FarmerTy]

1 butterfly and 5 angels
Tank size : 215-gallon
What Kind Of Corals: 90% acros, gold torch, anemones, gonioporas, Duncan, tubinaria

Fish Name: Majestic Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Nips on acro tips but doesn't cause damage.

Fish Name: Emperor angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Eats tips of my Hawkins Echinata but not regular enough to be an issue. Will eat war coral on occasion. Eats zoas with contempt and also candy canes. Nips at fungia plates.

Fish Name: Flame Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? He's a model citizen with corals but an *** with the other fish.

Fish Name: Regal Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Loves to eat zoas and oddly, material filaments of acros but doesn't actually nip acros.

Fish Name: Potters angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Fish Name: Pyramid butterfly
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Didn't have time to find my pictures of each fish but here's a video I shot a couple days ago.

 

[revhtree]

Nice topic as I'll be adding some of both to my tank in the very near future! I do worry about my fatty LPS and zoas!

 

[Jason mack]

1 butterfly and 5 angels
Tank size : 215-gallon
What Kind Of Corals: 90% acros, gold torch, anemones, gonioporas, Duncan, tubinaria

Fish Name: Majestic Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Nips on acro tips but doesn't cause damage.

Fish Name: Emperor angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Eats tips of my Hawkins Echinata but not regular enough to be an issue. Will eat war coral on occasion. Eats zoas with contempt and also candy canes. Nips at fungia plates.

Fish Name: Flame Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? He's a model citizen with corals but an *** with the other fish.

Fish Name: Regal Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Loves to eat zoas and oddly, material filaments of acros but doesn't actually nip acros.

Fish Name: Potters angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Fish Name: Pyramid butterfly
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Didn't have time to find my pictures of each fish but here's a video I shot a couple days ago.

Wow !!! That's a beautiful tank and fish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jason mack]

I Think the copperband will do fine in a 90 but make sure it is eating mysis or eating any other food before getting it, this fish is hard to feed. Good luck with it and keep us updated

Just a thought but my girlfriend asked me why I don't get a mated pair .. would this be possible .. ?? And could it work in a 9o g ??

 

[fabutahoun]

1 butterfly and 5 angels
Tank size : 215-gallon
What Kind Of Corals: 90% acros, gold torch, anemones, gonioporas, Duncan, tubinaria

Fish Name: Majestic Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Nips on acro tips but doesn't cause damage.

Fish Name: Emperor angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Eats tips of my Hawkins Echinata but not regular enough to be an issue. Will eat war coral on occasion. Eats zoas with contempt and also candy canes. Nips at fungia plates.

Fish Name: Flame Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? He's a model citizen with corals but an *** with the other fish.

Fish Name: Regal Angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Loves to eat zoas and oddly, material filaments of acros but doesn't actually nip acros.

Fish Name: Potters angel
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Fish Name: Pyramid butterfly
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? Model citizen

Didn't have time to find my pictures of each fish but here's a video I shot a couple days ago.

Wow what A colorful perfect piece of Ocean you have , Its obvious who is the king on the tank. , What are the dimensions ?

 

[FarmerTy]

Wow what A colorful perfect piece of Ocean you have , Its obvious who is the king on the tank. , What are the dimensions ?

Thank you! 215-gallon tank, 72" x 24" x 30".

 

[fabutahoun]

Nice topic as I'll be adding some of both to my tank in the very near future! I do worry about my fatty LPS and zoas!

Thanks Rev For Tagging Along, We will be waiting for your Photos

 

[fabutahoun]

Just a thought but my girlfriend asked me why I don't get a mated pair .. would this be possible .. ?? And could it work in a 9o g ??

I think It is difficult to have a matted copperband pair, also a 90 gallons is barely enough for one butterfly.

 

[Dave wyatt]

I have had blueface, juvenile emperor, juvenile cortez for 8 years watched it change to adult.

 

[salty150]

I will Start with my Emperor Angel and Semilarvatus Butterflyfish

Fish Name: Semilarvatus Butterflyfish
Reef Safe or Not : 85% safe
If not reef-safe, what did it eat? nipping rarely on few Acropora without eating anything

Interesting, I would love to have a Golden Butterfly as well - wonder how they are around frogspawn/hammers...

 

[FarmerTy]

Interesting, I would love to have a Golden Butterfly as well - wonder how they are around frogspawn/hammers...

That picture sold me on one. I think I'll get one.

 

[salty150]

That picture sold me on one. I think I'll get one.

lol, all too typical.

You going to, maybe, do a little research on them first?

And find out that they are even more shy and difficult that a Regal Angel?

And that they prefer to be in pairs or groups instead of singly?

 

[Tapio]

This post applies to mostly SPS reefs perhaps with few soft corals and clams also. Zooas are never safe with large angels. In general dwarf angels just nip at everything but don't cause any damage. They can always irritate clams and if the clam becomes stressed and not opening the fish may become obsessed with the stressed clam and kill it. Emperor, Regal and Majestic angels seem safe with SPS, LPS and clams, unless the clam is stressed and not opening properly. I have heard that semilarvatus is Ok with Acropora but may nip more at Montipora. The only butterfly I have kept in reefs is the Black back, melanostus. It can nip on Gorgonians so they don't open up but mostly the fish is OK. Melanostus eat slender stalked Sinularia and some other soft corals too but not Tonga leather and similar.
If daytime SPS polyp extension is desired don't keep butterfly's or dwarf angels in the tank. Polyps will then only expand at night. All fish will vary in their preferences.

 

[FarmerTy]

lol, all too typical.

You going to, maybe, do a little research on them first?

And find out that they are even more shy and difficult that a Regal Angel?

And that they prefer to be in pairs or groups instead of singly?

Uh... Yeah...Of course I'll research! Thanks for giving me a leg up! [emoji6]

 

[rbraunberger]

Nice thread!

I really want a large angel species for my tank, but have a large zoa collection and plate corals. Any advice?!

I currently have flame angel and two bellus angels that are all model citizens

 

[SudzFD]

[/FLOAT_LEFT]

This Question Pops from time to time by may reefers who want to have angels or butterflies in there tanks. And As I am in Love with most of the Angelfish and butterflies out there. I think This Thread will be a good reference for other members.

I am curious to know about other R2R members who are keeping Angels, butterflies or Both. or kept them in the past, And I like to know your experience with them in a reef tank.


Template

Tank size :
What Kind Of Corals: SPS,LPS,Soft,Clams and other invertebrates
Fish Name:
Reef Safe or Not
If not reef-safe, what did it eat?

and Photos of yours will be great




​

I recently got a Pearlscale butterfly aka yellowtail butterfly. I have a 60 gallon with two Perculas, yellow tang, a couple damsels. I have 7 bubble top anemones (they grow and split like weeds) and some large leather toadstools. I have various crabs, snails and a sea hare.

The butterfly hasn't paid any attention to any of those. Doesn't seem to eat pellets, flakes, or Nori.

Butterflies are picky eaters.

What I did was put a small cooked cocktail shrimp from the grocery store (I feed my nems these) in a Nori clip and laid it on the sand bed by some rocks. The butterfly and the other fish goes over and bites chunks off throughout the day. I discard whatever is left over in the evening.

 

[FarmerTy]

Nice thread!

I really want a large angel species for my tank, but have a large zoa collection and plate corals. Any advice?!

I currently have flame angel and two bellus angels that are all model citizens

Don't get one? Or get rid of the zoas. The plate corals may be fine but my emperor likes to nibble on them.

 

[saltyhog]

Nice topic as I'll be adding some of both to my tank in the very near future! I do worry about my fatty LPS and zoas!

The only reason there's not a Regal swimming in my tank right now! Good excuse for another tank...SPS , angels and butterflies.

 

[fabutahoun]

This post applies to mostly SPS reefs perhaps with few soft corals and clams also. Zooas are never safe with large angels. In general dwarf angels just nip at everything but don't cause any damage. They can always irritate clams and if the clam becomes stressed and not opening the fish may become obsessed with the stressed clam and kill it. Emperor, Regal and Majestic angels seem safe with SPS, LPS and clams, unless the clam is stressed and not opening properly. I have heard that semilarvatus is Ok with Acropora but may nip more at Montipora. The only butterfly I have kept in reefs is the Black back, melanostus. It can nip on Gorgonians so they don't open up but mostly the fish is OK. Melanostus eat slender stalked Sinularia and some other soft corals too but not Tonga leather and similar.
If daytime SPS polyp extension is desired don't keep butterfly's or dwarf angels in the tank. Polyps will then only expand at night. All fish will vary in their preferences.

No issues with My emperor and zoas, It was picking at first then it stopped recently , I was considering this nipping as a natural trimming for the zoas so they don't grow out of control, the grow and spread everywhere too fast

For Clams so far no issues

 

[fabutahoun]