Butterflyfish Bonanza!!
- Thread starter FishFinatic ;)
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had several CBB in different tanks with sps and never a problem. Also had Longnose and no problem with SPS, however I suspected him of eating some acans but no proof. Also had a punctatos (not sure on the spelling) with only red planet acro and he never bothered it. The rest of that tank was birdsnest and softies and also no issues with those.
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FishFinatic ;)
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Long Nose Yellow Butterfly: One of my favorite fish....has personality. Sorry, not much of a photographer:
But the funniest thing that happened to my guy was when I was having Tang issues, I hung a small mirror against the tank, hoping the Tangs would be distracted. Instead my Butterfly spent the whole time in front of the mirror showing his spiny dorsal fin, ready for battle. I had to eventually take the mirror down because he was spending the entire time in front of the mirror defending his territory.
Never saw my guy picking on any corals, and in fact, I never knew I had an aiptasia problem until he passed from a tank crash.
I've been going back to your photographs, and I love your butterfly fish!! So cute, how he looks at himself in the mirror... But I am truly sorry about your tank crash. Although, what kind of corals did you have in your tank with your yellow long nose? Again, so sorry about the crash, but I was just wondering about the corals.
I have 2 butterfly fish in a 90 gallon SPS dominated tank. My SPS consist of 1 inch frags all the way to show pieces that are 10 to 12 inch across. I have a Kline’s and Auriga butterfly that are happy and fat. The Kline’s nips at my Zoe’s but keeps them in check and since I introduced the Auriga my SPS have taken off like never before although he/she nips at the SPS here and there. Natures way of checks and balances. I keep a reactor of aptasia on my system and it keeps the butterfly’s interested in hunting for there natural food in the wild.
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My Tank Thread
It's an old mixed reef with SPS, LPS and softy colonies. I never noticed my guy nipping at anything....and no signs of any corals nipped.
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FishFinatic ;)
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So... I haven't been on here in a while... life gets too crazy. But, a question? Golden Butterflies were mentioned in this thread a while ago, and of course, now I'm revisiting purchasing one. I would love to put an elegance coral in my 120, but I can't get over Golden Butterflies. I'm torn. Any suggestions? I was even thinking of ditching the whole coral idea and making my tank a fish only... then I could have a Golden Butterfly or two. But, anyways, I'm in a little predicament and not really sure which route I should take. Reef tank w/o Golden Butterfly or ditching corals I love the most and having a Golden Butterfly in there?
67chevellemalibu2
Valuable Member
I have a Copperband. One of my favorites. Still will only eat black and blood worms and clams. I like Pearlscale’s. Tried two with no success. I think there pickier eaters than the Copperbands.
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
I have successfully kept three types in my tanks over the years. My #1 favorite is the Yellow Pyramids. they are Great reef safe fish but due to their behavior, they need a bigger tank. they are pacers and will swim in the most open areas of the tank. that said, they do not have the personality of the others. Secondly I have had a Copperband which can be a very rewarding fish. Initially they can be very hard to get to eat, but once eating, they are great fish. mine never bothered LPS, SPS or softies. I did not have a clam while I kept him. this fish can have great personality. Lastly, and my current friend is a yellow long nose. what a cool fish. Ours got sick shortly after we added him to the tank. he was removed and spent a month in QT. he got a bit skinny in there as I think they get alot of their nutrition hunting the tank. once back in the main tank, he has done xtremely well and has fattened up nicely. He is constantly perusing the zoanthids and polyps in our tank looking for tasty bites. he is very attentive and is a camera hog.
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I have successfully kept three types in my tanks over the years. My #1 favorite is the Yellow Pyramids. they are Great reef safe fish but due to their behavior, they need a bigger tank. they are pacers and will swim in the most open areas of the tank. that said, they do not have the personality of the others. Secondly I have had a Copperband which can be a very rewarding fish. Initially they can be very hard to get to eat, but once eating, they are great fish. mine never bothered LPS, SPS or softies. I did not have a clam while I kept him. this fish can have great personality. Lastly, and my current friend is a yellow long nose. what a cool fish. Ours got sick shortly after we added him to the tank. he was removed and spent a month in QT. he got a bit skinny in there as I think they get alot of their nutrition hunting the tank. once back in the main tank, he has done xtremely well and has fattened up nicely. He is constantly perusing the zoanthids and polyps in our tank looking for tasty bites. he is very attentive and is a camera hog.
Did the pyramids give you any reason to think they'd eat anthelia? I have a horrible outbreak and ready somewhere they may eat it. That leads to me next quest, how big of a tank would you recommend given their pacing behavior? I have a 6ft 150gal and feel it may be too small for a trio
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
No. they are planktonivores and feed strictly within the water column. I have never witnessed them even swimming among my corals. all out in the open space of the tank.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
It really comes down to what you would prefer or get more enjoyment from. My opinion, is few things are as elegent looking as a pr of semilarvatus butterflies.
I have successfully used zoster and pyramid butterflies to successfully eliminate xenia and anthellia in a few tanks.
A 6' 150g will be fine for a trio.
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Would you say one is more likely to eat anthelia than the other? I have quite a big fish load in my 6ft 150gal including the following;
A good size hippo tang
Large yellow tang (hes a jerk to new fish)
Pair of pictillis anthias
Goldflake angel
Achilles tabg
Borbonius anthias pair
And on the way next weekend is a small mustard tang and powder blue tang
Would you suggest I not add them or see it may be ok? Anthelia has taken over just about 3/4 of my tank which was all high end sps for the most part (until my small flame angels decimated everything)
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
If you think your yellow is mean, the powder blue will be worse.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Either species should go after it.
Use an acclimation box to introduce, so aggression has time to subside.
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FishFinatic ;)
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I agree, but I'm so stuck. I couldn't have any softies or LPS in there with the Golden Butterflies, correct? It's such a gamble and I don't want my corals nor my butterflies be in harms way... what do you say?? I think I should give the Golden Butterflies a shot....
I loved my semilarvatus pair:
Sadly the small one died out of the blue after 6 months. Was fine one day, next day dead. Do they use cyanide in the Red Sea region? Anyhow, loved the pair so much I now have another semilarvatus in QT to replace him.
Anyways, when I tried introducing a small hammer frag, the two semilarvatus went to town on it. All other non-reef safe fish left it alone. I wasn't sure if they were nipping at it out of curiosity, so I pulled it out after a day or so. I reintroduced it a day later and same result. Also when I put an urchin in there, they pretty much killed it. Again, all my other non-reef safe fish left the urchin alone. They are definitely not reef safe.
Sadly the small one died out of the blue after 6 months. Was fine one day, next day dead. Do they use cyanide in the Red Sea region? Anyhow, loved the pair so much I now have another semilarvatus in QT to replace him.
Anyways, when I tried introducing a small hammer frag, the two semilarvatus went to town on it. All other non-reef safe fish left it alone. I wasn't sure if they were nipping at it out of curiosity, so I pulled it out after a day or so. I reintroduced it a day later and same result. Also when I put an urchin in there, they pretty much killed it. Again, all my other non-reef safe fish left the urchin alone. They are definitely not reef safe.
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MrsBugmaster
2500 Club Member
Well, you can always do what I did and set up a smaller/nano tank for corals. I have a 180 gal FOWLR and a 34 gal reef tank.
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