Blue striped butterfly fish, Chaetodon fremblii

[norfolkgarden]

So I have exhausted the whole 3 pages of Google search for this one. [emoji53]
Only took 3 hours to read everything available so far on this fish.

Seems it will eat a variety of foods (nori, black worms, frozen mysis, frozen calanus, frozen vegiblend) and possibly SPS.

Difficult to get started eating prepared foods, probably worse than some copperbands, but should do okay after that.

90 gallons min tank size recommended,
5-6" max

Active during the day and sleeps in the rocks at night.

Beautiful coloration, but can often display regular night time (muted, grey and blotchy) coloration during the daytime if it's diet and acceptable conditions are not met.


Does anyone have personal experience with this fish?

Thanks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I thought that species was an obligate coralivore. At least starting out using a food paste and putting on a coral skeleton may help it eat.

 

[norfolkgarden]

The majority of them are. Supposedly this one is more of an omnivore. I have seen it eating Nori sheets rubber-banded to a half inch cylinder of dead coral. Its 8 multiple black worms while I was slowly drip acclimating it for 3 hours last night in several gallons of water.
It was at the lfs for 3 weeks and is still fat so I am hoping this will work out.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I got a little bold after doing so well with the Copperband. It eats everything after 3 months and eats black worms off my finger tips now.

Been watching the blue striped butterfly fish at the LFS for 3 weeks now.
Reading the whole time. But not that much to read.
Finally pulled the trigger yesterday.
[emoji54]

 

[eatbreakfast]

I got a little bold after doing so well with the Copperband. It eats everything after 3 months and eats black worms off my finger tips now.

Been watching the blue striped butterfly fish at the LFS for 3 weeks now.
Reading the whole time. But not that much to read.
Finally pulled the trigger yesterday.
[emoji54]

Keep us updated, hopefully it does well.

 

[aurora.k]

How was the LFS feeding it?

 

[olecaptainj]

Very difficult as with most butterflies to get eating. I had one 8 years ago and couldn’t get it to eat unfortunately.

Most people steer clear as they have a dismal survival rate as the majority of butterflies do. That’s why you cannot find much info on them. GL!

 

[norfolkgarden]

This is the largest fish in our tank at 3.5".
Almost double the size of the copperband.
Copperband wasn't too happy this morning. But neither is aggressive.
1.5" springeri damsel is pretty tame.
Flame hawkfish is pretty tame.
Hopefully I haven't ruined copperbands life too much.
There will be plenty of food and hiding places to go around.

 

[norfolkgarden]

How was the LFS feeding it?

Lol, they feed everything frozen mysis. And nori rubber banded to a rock or coral.

It is still fat after 3 weeks. (No 'necking' or 'pinched' behind and above the skull)
Watched it eat nori. Timing wise I never did see it eat mysis in front of me, but they said it does well with it and the fish doesn't look like it's ever missed a meal.
It has always been poking around the tank on every visit to the lfs and looking bright yellow and blue during the daytime.

8pm is when the lfs closes and at 745pm on previous visits I found out what they mean by nighttime coloration. Looks like hell. Like it's a few days short of dieing.
But it always looked good on the next daytime visit.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I thought that species was an obligate coralivore. At least starting out using a food paste and putting on a coral skeleton may help it eat.

Funny, I've probably spent more time reading about the other butterflies in general in the process of looking for information on this fish.
LiveAquaria carries 8 butterflies but not this one.
That definitely gave me pause.
But it was already at the lfs for 3 weeks and hadn't degraded yet.
Figured now or never.
[emoji3]

 

[Texas Reefer]

I have no info to add, but good luck! It sure is beautiful!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Cool! Keep us posted on how he does!

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I want to see pics! They are beautiful fish and the fact that it was eating at the LFS is a good sign. Keep us updated and good luck!

 

[norfolkgarden]

Thanks everyone!

Will keep up with the updates.

 

[rockstarta78]

Gorgeous looking fish. How does it look in your tank. I don't know too much about this fish, so pardon my ignorance, did you not QT this fish separately before adding it to your DT?

 

[norfolkgarden]

Gorgeous looking fish. How does it look in your tank. I don't know too much about this fish, so pardon my ignorance, did you not QT this fish separately before adding it to your DT?

No QT. I don't use QT.

Just got home early from work.

It looks like heck. Still settling in. Moving around the tank tentatively every 5 minutes or so and then hiding again.

Fed every one to bursting over a 15 minute period and the blue stripe sort of came out at the end.

I let it out of the 11" x 7" acclimation box this morning.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Been adding easy SPS for a few weeks.

So far no problem with

 

[norfolkgarden]

So far no problem with

 

[norfolkgarden]

Oops...

Should be a green stylo with good polyp extension.

$15 frag. Can keep this up for quite a while just to make sure it's eating.

The tank was always a fish and softy tank anyway. And if I can keep the other 2 varieties of styo and it doesn't touch the mushrooms and neon green Kenya tree I'll be content.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Soooo not impressed with this new development.