Blue striped butterfly fish, Chaetodon fremblii
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olecaptainj
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Can you take a pic of the blue stripe? Not sure how long you have been in the hobby but for future reference it is a good idea to research fish before purchase, especially species of butterflies that majority of the time will just die do to not eating. Also, if the lfs has it for 3 weeks but you never saw it eat frozen foods, that’s a bad sign....
One huge benefit of QT aside from disease prevention/treatment is to allow fish to eat without having to compete with tankmates. This is especially critical for shy/stressed newcomers. You can also condition them to eat what you normally feed (frozen, pellets, etc.)
OP
OP
Lol, what?! No, it is fine, just annoyed.
Still intact and the biggest feeder in the tank.
Slyler
Active Member
Perfect! must have been the way I was looking at the picture, thought there was a giant bite out of the back of him. Glad he is still doing well! The new angel looks really nice! I hope he colors up for you shortly!
OP
OP
I thought you had read the entire thread when you commented previously.
[emoji53]
Texas Reefer
Valuable Member
Yeah, looks like half the fish is missing. Technology, huh.
OP
OP
Excellent point!
I don't have the room/extra facilities set up for an additional tank (nor permission for another tank....)
That is the main reason for waiting *3 weeks* and letting it live/die, display ich, velvet, flukes/not display ich, velvet, flukes *at the lfs*.
That is my version of "QT".
That is how I buy 90% of my fish.
If someone else buys it before I do, then it wasn't meant to be.
I have personally watched it eat nori wrapped around a piece of live rock at the lfs. Was at work all day so no idea if today's usual missing nori in the clip was shared by the blue stripe butterfly fish.
I may need to take the time to wrap it on a piece of live rock for a few weeks until he gets the hang of it.
I have personally fed it blackworms while it was alone.
I have found that new fish straight out of the ocean seem to recognize frozen, etc as a new food item after they see the other fish devouring it.
That is the reason for setting it free with the other fish. It is the largest fish in the tank (almost twice as big as any of the others).
Same thing with the previous copperband addition a few months ago. At the time the copperband was the largest fish in the tank. It now eats black worms off my finger tips.
This evening the blue stripe is out and about a lot more. Maybe 50/50 hiding and cruising. (If I stay in my chair 7' away from the tank. Forget about getting closer tonight)
5 visits in 3 weeks to the LFS at different times of day and night hoping it was continuing to do well, and hours of reading in between.
I never seem to be there when they actually fed it mysis, but it has not lost any appreciable weight in 3 weeks. It has to be eating something. And the 2 people who I know and trust said it was eating mysis.
Been going to this LFS for several years. Been asking questions about easy fish for the same amount of time. Most of them will politely ask "Have you had a chance to do any research on this fish?" When what they really mean is "No, stupid. And stop asking me questions you already know are ridiculous."
They are a fun bunch and I have no reason not to trust this experienced staff. [emoji23]
The owner of this LFS did caution me it might go after the cool softies I have been buying from him. But in the little bit of information I could find, the blue stripe butterfly fish is listed as SPS unsafe. (FWIW)
I don't have any SPS except for a few frags, so that is ok. Definitely like this fish more!
[emoji3]
OP
OP
Sorry about the lousy picture of the copperband. I looked at it closer and it does look bad. It was just emerging from behind the rock when I took the picture.
Cell phone camera pics and a non photographer make for some bad images.
[emoji15]
Cell phone camera pics and a non photographer make for some bad images.
[emoji15]
I think it was your comment too. I initially thought it was you that was not impressed with the new development. So I was looking at the picture to see what happened. Then I realized that you meant that the copperband was not thrilled with the new guy.
OP
OP
Yeah, I'm usually clear as mud. Sorry about that. [emoji17]
Copperband is back to his usual "feed me more blackworms here" patrolling area but still giving me stink eye.
The new butterfly fish is mostly patrolling the far end or hiding.
Its nighttime/stressed coloration is downright ugly. Hoping this wont last but a few days.
And that I can get him eating all the usual frozen foods we serve before he goes through $100 worth of stylo frags.
[emoji53]
Copperband is back to his usual "feed me more blackworms here" patrolling area but still giving me stink eye.
The new butterfly fish is mostly patrolling the far end or hiding.
Its nighttime/stressed coloration is downright ugly. Hoping this wont last but a few days.
And that I can get him eating all the usual frozen foods we serve before he goes through $100 worth of stylo frags.
[emoji53]
Chaetodon fremblii
are really nice fish. The one I have now would only eat brine and Mysis for the one or two years (it was a long time). Then one day it started eating pellets. Still won't touch flake food. The only thing to do is toss in lots of food that the fish will eat (for example, Mysis) at the end of the day and hopefully it will get enough. The rest of the day when it see other fish eating maybe it will try something new. Had one year ago that started eating other foods after only two months. They seem to get along fine with other fish.
are really nice fish. The one I have now would only eat brine and Mysis for the one or two years (it was a long time). Then one day it started eating pellets. Still won't touch flake food. The only thing to do is toss in lots of food that the fish will eat (for example, Mysis) at the end of the day and hopefully it will get enough. The rest of the day when it see other fish eating maybe it will try something new. Had one year ago that started eating other foods after only two months. They seem to get along fine with other fish.
falconut
Active Member
I've got one of them right now. Had him for about 6 months. I got mine from a lfs and he ate right from the get go. He now eats just about everything, frozen mysis, brine, pellets, nori, clam, flakes. He's a little agrees I've with my Saddleback butterfly, but nothing bad. He was sort of drab until recently, now his colors seem to pop nicely. Not sure about corals cause he's in a fowlr. Good luck with him, they are a not so common fish.
OP
OP
Thank you for the info!
I had today off. Spent a large part of it watching the tank.
Ours mostly stays in back and wanders out for a lap about once an hour.
It comes out in the evening just before lights out for several laps.
Pecks at the nori on a clip.
Pecks at some mysis.
Wanders back to the back of the tank.
Still fat. Want it to stay that way. [emoji53]
Day 3 is tomorrow.
Thank you again for the info!
I had today off. Spent a large part of it watching the tank.
Ours mostly stays in back and wanders out for a lap about once an hour.
It comes out in the evening just before lights out for several laps.
Pecks at the nori on a clip.
Pecks at some mysis.
Wanders back to the back of the tank.
Still fat. Want it to stay that way. [emoji53]
Day 3 is tomorrow.
Thank you again for the info!
OP
OP
Was there a time of day when it was more likely to eat?
I am already dumping more food into the tank than usual and the other fish were already fat.
Thanks!
I am already dumping more food into the tank than usual and the other fish were already fat.
Thanks!
OP
OP
Minor success!
Fed a cube of PE small size mysis this morning and walked away from the tank to the far end doorway.
Wait 5 minutes.
Nothing.
Fed a cube of vegi/shrimp and walked away from the tank.
Nothing.
Five minutes later butterfly comes wandering out thinking there might be some food around. (Doh)
Went back to the fridge and got a heaping portion of black worms.
Butterfly hides as I'm walking back into the room.
Everyone else fed for several minutes as I added the black worms to the tank slowly.
Feeding such a ridiculous amount of black worms that some finally made it on the current to the back of the tank where he finally showed some interest.
Two more black worm feedings to the point where the other fish were so full they were just watching the black worms float around the tank.
(That *never* happens normally. I try not to overfeed black worms.)
Watched the butterfly fish eat at least 25 black worms plucked from the water column and travel at least a foot to retrieve some of them.
An hour later, still mostly hiding with 2 laps around the tank.
Can't get close enough to take even a bad picture, but the coloration is still a light grey overlay. Not near as bad as the night it came home, but nothing pretty yet.
The night it came home it was dark grey with 6 dime sized whiter spots. One at the base of the tail, one at the 'neck', and 4 in a square on the body.
Extremely cool camouflage pattern, but terrifying to see. [emoji53]
Not sure if that is it's normal deep sleep pattern?
It hasn't touched the second green stylo frag I bought last night yet, but more polyps are missing on the first one.
No interest in the red seaweed.
Some interest last night in the green seaweed.
Haven't noticed any interest in the purple seaweed (everyone else's first choice, like feeding a kid desert instead of overcooked broccoli first choice)
Big excitement in Norfolk, Virginia!
[emoji23]
Fed a cube of PE small size mysis this morning and walked away from the tank to the far end doorway.
Wait 5 minutes.
Nothing.
Fed a cube of vegi/shrimp and walked away from the tank.
Nothing.
Five minutes later butterfly comes wandering out thinking there might be some food around. (Doh)
Went back to the fridge and got a heaping portion of black worms.
Butterfly hides as I'm walking back into the room.
Everyone else fed for several minutes as I added the black worms to the tank slowly.
Feeding such a ridiculous amount of black worms that some finally made it on the current to the back of the tank where he finally showed some interest.
Two more black worm feedings to the point where the other fish were so full they were just watching the black worms float around the tank.
(That *never* happens normally. I try not to overfeed black worms.)
Watched the butterfly fish eat at least 25 black worms plucked from the water column and travel at least a foot to retrieve some of them.
An hour later, still mostly hiding with 2 laps around the tank.
Can't get close enough to take even a bad picture, but the coloration is still a light grey overlay. Not near as bad as the night it came home, but nothing pretty yet.
The night it came home it was dark grey with 6 dime sized whiter spots. One at the base of the tail, one at the 'neck', and 4 in a square on the body.
Extremely cool camouflage pattern, but terrifying to see. [emoji53]
Not sure if that is it's normal deep sleep pattern?
It hasn't touched the second green stylo frag I bought last night yet, but more polyps are missing on the first one.
No interest in the red seaweed.
Some interest last night in the green seaweed.
Haven't noticed any interest in the purple seaweed (everyone else's first choice, like feeding a kid desert instead of overcooked broccoli first choice)
Big excitement in Norfolk, Virginia!
[emoji23]
falconut
Active Member
My fish go through qt and don't make it to my dt until they're eating really good. Blackworms are tough to spot feed in my dt, since the other fish eat them so fast.
I usually just feed the green nori, so can't say about the others. Mine is an aggressive eater. And yes, was drab for a while. May have to get food ready, then wait a while in dumping spot until he comes out and slowly pour some in to get him some. I do this for shy new fish in qt.
I usually just feed the green nori, so can't say about the others. Mine is an aggressive eater. And yes, was drab for a while. May have to get food ready, then wait a while in dumping spot until he comes out and slowly pour some in to get him some. I do this for shy new fish in qt.
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