Declivis in a reef tank??

[MimicOcto8]

Does anyone here have experience with a declivis butterfly living in a mixed reef tank?

 

[Eienna]

The main problem with butterflies is that their main and almost required diet is coral polyps.
I have heard of them doing great on new life spectrum pellets, but there remains the fact that they eat coral.

 

[MimicOcto8]

Thanks for that info. That helps a lot. I watched a YouTube video of one in a mixed reef so I was curious if there were more like that one out there.

I can't stand info that states "not reef compatible because it may nip at corals" I want details or more reasons/ info.

 

[fraggingfish]

We have one in our display tank, it's about 4-5"

Eats right off our hands, pellets, frozen even nori off the sheets.
A customer would refuse to leave until I bagged it.

Ours did really well in the reef, rarely see it nip on anything.
As long as you feed it several times a day, it'll not even pay attention to polyps.
The one we had was QT'd for several months before it was introduced to the DT.

 

[Aquaph8]

Its hit or miss, but I wouldn't bother trying if you keep fleshy LPS like acans.

 

[MimicOcto8]

We have one in our display tank, it's about 4-5"

Eats right off our hands, pellets, frozen even nori off the sheets.
A customer would refuse to leave until I bagged it.

Ours did really well in the reef, rarely see it nip on anything.
As long as you feed it several times a day, it'll not even pay attention to polyps.
The one we had was QT'd for several months before it was introduced to the DT.

That's what I was looking for. Thank you!


I have mostly sps and zoas. I never got into acans

 

[Aquaph8]

My Mitratus (pretty much same thing), didn't touch zoanthids but did have a taste for SPS despite being fed many times a day. I'd give it a shot but be prepared with a fish trap just in case.

 

[MimicOcto8]

I'll QT him for awhile and get him hand feeding. Then I'll test him with sps zoas and other corals.

Thanks fellowas

 

[fraggingfish]

I'll QT him for awhile and get him hand feeding. Then I'll test him with sps zoas and other corals.

Thanks fellowas

My recommendation to you is get them as young/small as you can.
Their health and diet is dependent on your husbandry skills.

If you do end up with a larger specimen, please remember where it came from.
From the wild naturally, they'll tear your reef apart.
From another aquarist's system, you'll be fine depending on what their diet is in the former tank.

We have a special way of acclimating and QTing our non-reef safe fish.
Much of our work is very successful, we even have a 1" Yellow Belly Regal ( Red Sea ) eating pellets notoriously, prepared frozen and nori sheets.
It is now 2.5" since it's first introduction a year ago.

Best of luck to you!

 

[MimicOcto8]

Thanks!