Angels and Butterflies in The Reef Tank

[dr.fish]

I also observed that a wounded coral is more prone to be pick at. When i have a new coral that could be a problem to introduce (LPS), i put it in the frag tank for 1-2 month until it is healty and acclimated to the new water and light (have the same lighting in frag tank and main tank).

 

[fabutahoun]

Great thread! After digesting all this great info I can't help but wonder if introducing either would be best after corals get a little established. Some of stated that they would be good to keep zoas and spa trimmed back. I would love to have one of these beautiful fish but if there's a risk they would kill a frag I just payed a couple hundred dollars for, it wouldn't be worth the risk. Only I am allowed to kill my expensive frags.

Yes indeed It is a little gamble, and as you said you have better chances when the colonies are established and the fish is still juvenile. also I have noticed that heavy feeding reduce the risk. for Angels for me they never touched the sps. whoever butterflies a different story and will nip on sps . so angels are ok with expensive sps

I also observed that a wounded coral is more prone to be pick at. When i have a new coral that could be a problem to introduce (LPS), i put it in the frag tank for 1-2 month until it is healty and acclimated to the new water and light (have the same lighting in frag tank and main tank).

I agree with you. If you Added a stressed coral , the fish will stress it more leading to a quick lose

 

[Devaji]

nice thread guys! lets keep it going. someday I really want o do a butterfly tang and angel tank focus will be on the fish and not the coral but would be nice to have some easy less expensive corals and gorgs in there too.

right now I have a 90 LPS softie tank with a flame angle
corals are gorgs., tracky, acan, torch, fogswpon leathers so far so good I would say 95% reef safe

 

[tvu]

Started new tank with 2 Angels. A medium queen and juvenile Imperator.

So far the queen only eats birdsnest. Chowed down 3 different types but hasn't touched any other corals.

I've always had Tangs so I wanted to try the Angels.

 

[watdachuck]

Nice! Keep those Emperor Angelfish updates coming!

 

[Bluecbs]

My tank is fowlr, but when i just wanna try some mushrooms, my pakistani bf went to town with them....

 

[fabutahoun]

I am sad to tell you that the semilarvatus butterfly had been missing for 2 weeks, the yellow tang was giving it a hard time and for the last few day before it disappeard, it was hiding inside the rocks and not coming out. so it looks like it died deep inside the rock, so I guess there will be no butterflies in my tank with purple and yellow tangs

 

[fabutahoun]

nice thread guys! lets keep it going. someday I really want o do a butterfly tang and angel tank focus will be on the fish and not the coral but would be nice to have some easy less expensive corals and gorgs in there too.

right now I have a 90 LPS softie tank with a flame angle
corals are gorgs., tracky, acan, torch, fogswpon leathers so far so good I would say 95% reef safe

Thanks Devaji your sharing your experience with flame angel,

Started new tank with 2 Angels. A medium queen and juvenile Imperator.

So far the queen only eats birdsnest. Chowed down 3 different types but hasn't touched any other corals.

I've always had Tangs so I wanted to try the Angels.

Nice Fish you have, big fan for Imperator and Queen

My tank is fowlr, but when i just wanna try some mushrooms, my pakistani bf went to town with them....

Same experience with Pakistani, they are destructive and they tend to grow too big, there are some other butterfly which are more suitable for reef aquariums.

 

[Bluecbs]

Sorry to hear that fabutahoun, this is one of few reasons that i dont wanna keep tangs.....

 

[Devaji]

Oh no that sucks to hear. so your saying any tang and BF has issues? or just the purple tangs if/when I do a large tank I want tangs angles and butterflies. if I cant mix BF and tangs well then that would just suck.

 

[fabutahoun]

Oh no that sucks to hear. so your saying any tang and BF has issues? or just the purple tangs if/when I do a large tank I want tangs angles and butterflies. if I cant mix BF and tangs well then that would just suck.

It my work out if the butterfly was introduced to yank first, and the tags are the last addition to the tank , I think the yellow got confused and thought that the semilarvatus is another yellow tang because of they are have the same size color and shape

 

[badstorm48]

I have a declivus butterfly and he's great in my mixed reef. I just can keep like acans and scolys and gorgonians. Other than that reef safe. Expensive yes it cost me 323 with tax for diversden to get him, but they are extremely hardy fish and will eat all types of food. Mine eats flakes and frozen. Whatever I put in for food he goblets it up. Fantastic butterfly for a reef if you can afford the price.

 

[Bluecbs]

Yes devaji, in large enough tank, you may do it with tangs, bfs and angels. But,imo, bfs should go in first since they are the least aggressive......auriga bfs are the only bossy type ive seen, when they get fairly big

 

[Maritimer]

I currently have a powderblue tang and a longnose butterfly in QT. The tang will sometimes get feisty with the butterfly (he gets feisty with everybody from time to time...), and the butterfly will raise his dorsal spines and aim them at the tang. Longnose, at least, are better armed for conflict than they appear . . .

~Bruce

 

[fabutahoun]

I currently have a powderblue tang and a longnose butterfly in QT. The tang will sometimes get feisty with the butterfly (he gets feisty with everybody from time to time...), and the butterfly will raise his dorsal spines and aim them at the tang. Longnose, at least, are better armed for conflict than they appear . . .

~Bruce

any updates about your powderblue tang and a longnose butterfly?

 

[Maritimer]

They seem to be getting on well enough - the butterfly catches a bit more flack from the regal angel, but even that is half-a-second-and-it's-over.

~Bruce

 

[fabutahoun]

They seem to be getting on well enough - the butterfly catches a bit more flack from the regal angel, but even that is half-a-second-and-it's-over.

~Bruce

I hope it do will between these bullies you have, is it gaining weight? I think you should increase feeding if your filtration can handle it.

 

[Steampilots]

Great looks tanks butterflies have always been some of my favorite fish

 

[Maritimer]

The butterfly's eating everything I throw in the water, and (for a butterfly!) is pretty thick. Frozen, flakes, pellets ... all of it. Absolutely no worries about this guy!

~Bruce

 

[fabutahoun]

The butterfly's eating everything I throw in the water, and (for a butterfly!) is pretty thick. Frozen, flakes, pellets ... all of it. Absolutely no worries about this guy!

~Bruce

That is good to hear Bruce