Burgess Butterflyfish suitable for a 105 gallon 4-foot tank?

[Zionas]

This is perhaps the only fish as of now that would make me want to go FOWLR for a while. LiveAquaria says 70 gallons is enough but I heard butterflies needs lots of space. Will my 48”x24”x22” tank be enough for a Burgess?

Does anyone know how hardy they are? What they eat? How long they can live and whether they’re suited for a new system? What about temperament?


Their tank mates will be:

x2 Ocellaris Clowns

x1 Marine Betta

x2 Flame Hawks

x2 basslets (RG, Swissguard, Yellow or McNeill’s Assessors)

x1-2 dwarf angels (Flame, one of the pygmies, Multicolor or Joculator)

x1 Burgess Butterfly


Marine Betta-Peaceful

Ocellaris Clowns-Peaceful

Flame Angel / Cherub / African Flameback / Brazilian Flameback / Joculator / Multicolor-Semi-Aggressive

Royal Gramma-Peaceful

Yellow Assessor-Peaceful

McNeill’s Assessor-Semi-Aggressive

Flame Hawk-Semi-Aggressive

Burgess Butterfly-Peaceful

 

[JumboShrimp]

I’m by no means a sissy when it comes to stocking a tank, but that sounds like a lot of fish of those sizes for a 70 gallon. Just my 2-cents.

 

[Zionas]

My tank will be 105 gallons. Sorry for not clarifying.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Ohhhhhhh. Lol.

 

[Zionas]

Lol. Will I be overstocked though?

And do you think the Burgess is an easy species?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Well, I think the way you made your list I might have counted your stocking list twice (double)! In any case, I have had a Pearlscale Butterfly and have a Pyramid Butterfly now. Put your new fish in quarantine for sure (that’s an expensive fish), and make sure he’s eating well before ever putting him in your DT. If the water quality is good in your DT, I’d think he’ll be good-to-go after that.

 

[Zionas]

Lol it’s alright. Are there any other species of easy butterflies you’d recommend for a tank of my size?

 

[JumboShrimp]

If you’re not familiar with the Pearlscale, they are incredibly beautiful— even gets some orange color into your tank (and they about 1/3rd the price of the fish you had in mind). Mine ate everything. I had him about a year and, totally my fault, he died overnight when I took out half the sand in my 6-foot tank all at once and kicked up a dust storm like something from the State of Texas.

 

[Zionas]

dang. Sorry about that loss. I’m worried something like the Pearlscale would be too big and require more room than my tank can offer.

Would it be okay for my tank? What about a Klein’s?