My 180 Gallon "Pair" Themed Build Thread

[MrsBugmaster]

With my latest pair in the display tank it was time to buy more fish.

With my new Qt setup I could now move a little faster and get more fish at once.
Next on my list was a pair of butterflyfish. From all my research I learned what butterflies formed pairs or groups in the wild. I decided this time around I was going to try and form a pair of Indian Vegabond Butterflyfish(Chaetodon decussatus) or Black Back Butterflyfish(Chaetodon melannotus) .

Since no one really knows how to sex Butterfly's I needed to get a group of them and let them form pairs on their own. This will take sometime as I have to get them small and let them grow up a bit and see who forms pairs. With the qt tanks having dividers in them, it would make it easier to separate when and if needed.

The Indian Vegabonds were available is small sizes and large numbers so I went with them. On May 18, 2018, I purchased 5 of them at the same time. They were about the size of a quarter or smaller, with them all being slightly different is size.

I lost two of them within 24 hours. Butterfly's can be sensitive and hard to keep. I knew this going in so that's why I got 5 to begin with. Of the 3 remaining, two were the same size and the 3rd noticeably smaller. The smallest one, I will can fish "A", would hang out by itself. The two same size ones, I will call fish "B & C", hung out together and sleeping together also. Fish "A" would chase fish B & C around, but not to the point of what I would call aggressive harassment. Fish B & C were always together while A remained by itself through the whole qt process. After qt was finished, they remained in these tanks for a while to grow out and form a pair.

At the same time I got the Butterflies I also bought two Diamond Watchmen Gobies. I put a small container of sand in with them so they could sift through it as these gobies need to do. They are said to be easy to pair, just get a small one and a large one. They co-existed but never would bond together. Sadly the smaller one did not make it. Since the qt tanks are all hooked together I could not try again to pair the goby at this time. So I added the larger goby to the display tank after the qt period over. I may try and add a smaller on to the tank at a later time.

Sorry but I did not get pictures of these guys.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Nice setup for qt. That ought to be easier to work with.

Thanks, It is so much easier!!

 

[Victoria M]

LET ME JUST SAY WOOT! WOOT! Before I even read the first full post! I am so happy to see you started this thread.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

LET ME JUST SAY WOOT! WOOT! Before I even read the first full post! I am so happy to see you started this thread.

Thanks! I always intended to do this, but never got around to it. I even made notes and documented everything so that makes it easier to do now, even though it is a little late. ;ShamefullyembarrasedBetter late than never right?!

 

[Victoria M]

Thanks! I always intended to do this, but never got around to it. I even made notes and documented everything so that makes it easier to do now, even though it is a little late. ;ShamefullyembarrasedBetter late than never right?!

Absolutely. I love your QT set up. I have a QT in the kitchen now. It just makes it easier to keep an eye on them. I have a Disney themed QT in the basement that I use for TTM.. NOW I just need another QT to set up in the Kitchen corner and then it will be even easier to do this new tank transfer method I am trying out. My husband is gonna kill me.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Absolutely. I love your QT set up. I have a QT in the kitchen now. It just makes it easier to keep an eye on them. I have a Disney themed QT in the basement that I use for TTM.. NOW I just need another QT to set up in the Kitchen corner and then it will be even easier to do this new tank transfer method I am trying out. My husband is gonna kill me.

Yep , husbands/spouses

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Fast forward to July 6th. The 3 butterflies are still hanging out in same tank. Behavior remains the same with fish B&C still hanging out together and fish A at opposite side of tank with some chasing every now and then. I am wondering if B&C are a male and female or two females?? I think they are still too young to pair up.

I have now noticed my Goldflake juvi is starting to lose her black on the top of her fins. Hmmm, this is not suppose to happen. What is going on here?!

 

[Victoria M]

Beautiful!

 

[MrsBugmaster]

After making several post in the angel lover thread, no one knew what was happening with this pair. It was hard to believe this was the same fish I started out with. Some even questioning if I had a hybrid or regular flagfin. Both fish were changing.

After much back and forth in that forum with no real answer, I contacted one of the leading Angelfish experts, John Coppolino. I did know him some what as he had come and gave a presentation at our local fish club. And he after all, does have a Flagfin/Goldflake Hybrid also. I sent him several picture and videos of these two fish. He assured me I do have a hybrid as indicated by the marking when I first got the fish and blue edge on the anal fin and the shadow of black on the dorsal fin and some other slight differences. And his looked a lot like mine also. Seams many of them will change colors and lose the black markings. Not sure if this a a captive thing or if they do this in the wild also. But some small tell tale signs remain that it is a hybrid. And he also said I did have a full blood Goldflake! I was relieved to hear that, especially for what I paid for these two. He continued to tell me that with the absence of any other Goldflakes in the tank, the Goldflake was taking on the appearance of her mate the Flagfin/Goldflake hybird. This also has been known trait of these angel fish apparently. Although it does not happen very often. The goldflake did lose all of the black on the dorsal fin leaving just a shadow of it. Fish will be fish and do their own thing sometimes.

 

[Victoria M]

After making several post in the angel lover thread, no one knew what was happening with this pair. It was hard to believe this was the same fish I started out with. Some even questioning if I had a hybrid or regular flagfin. Both fish were changing.

After much back and forth in that forum with no real answer, I contacted one of the leading Angelfish experts, John Coppolino. I did know him some what as he had come and gave a presentation at our local fish club. And he after all, does have a Flagfin/Goldflake Hybrid also. I sent him several picture and videos of these two fish. He assured me I do have a hybrid as indicated by the marking when I first got the fish and blue edge on the anal fin and the shadow of black on the dorsal fin and some other slight differences. And his looked a lot like mine also. Seams many of them will change colors and lose the black markings. Not sure if this a a captive thing or if they do this in the wild also. But some small tell tale signs remain that it is a hybrid. And he also said I did have a full blood Goldflake! I was relieved to hear that, especially for what I paid for these two. He continued to tell me that with the absence of any other Goldflakes in the tank, the Goldflake was taking on the appearance of her mate the Flagfin/Goldflake hybird. This also has been known trait of these angel fish apparently. Although it does not happen very often. The goldflake did lose all of the black on the dorsal fin leaving just a shadow of it. Fish will be fish and do their own thing sometimes.

They are stunning!

 

[MrsBugmaster]

The male Interruptus starting to chase and harass the Goldflake juvenile. The Hybrid will get in between the two and break it up. Th hybrid does not go after the Interruptus, just swims in between his little female and the Interruptus. Then the Interruptus will back down. I am not sure if it is the small size of the Goldflake or what because he leaves the larger hybrid along. Even though the Hybrid and Interruptus are about the same size.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

The Interruptus is turning out ot be a mean fish. Chasing both the Goldflake Juvi and the Mitratus Butterfly, but leaves the Flagfin/Goldflake hybrid alone. I fear it may become a problem.

 

[Pbh-reef]

After making several post in the angel lover thread, no one knew what was happening with this pair. It was hard to believe this was the same fish I started out with. Some even questioning if I had a hybrid or regular flagfin. Both fish were changing.

After much back and forth in that forum with no real answer, I contacted one of the leading Angelfish experts, John Coppolino. I did know him some what as he had come and gave a presentation at our local fish club. And he after all, does have a Flagfin/Goldflake Hybrid also. I sent him several picture and videos of these two fish. He assured me I do have a hybrid as indicated by the marking when I first got the fish and blue edge on the anal fin and the shadow of black on the dorsal fin and some other slight differences. And his looked a lot like mine also. Seams many of them will change colors and lose the black markings. Not sure if this a a captive thing or if they do this in the wild also. But some small tell tale signs remain that it is a hybrid. And he also said I did have a full blood Goldflake! I was relieved to hear that, especially for what I paid for these two. He continued to tell me that with the absence of any other Goldflakes in the tank, the Goldflake was taking on the appearance of her mate the Flagfin/Goldflake hybird. This also has been known trait of these angel fish apparently. Although it does not happen very often. The goldflake did lose all of the black on the dorsal fin leaving just a shadow of it. Fish will be fish and do their own thing sometimes.

Wow! Such an interesting phenomenon

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Fast forward now to September 30, 2018. The Interruptus continues to be mean and chasing. So even though the Indian Vegabonds have not formed a pair and continue with their same behavior I think I will add them to the DT tank. My thinking is that it may help with the Interruptus aggression with more fish in the tank. I have a fish trap so I can always take one out after they do pair up. Plus I wanted to get the next round of fish in qt.
Here is a picture on one of the Indian Vegabond Butterflies. Sorry I didn't take more picture of their release. But all 3 were added to the DT.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Wow! Such an interesting phenomenon

Yes, I agree it is. I am a little disappointed in the color change but, they are both still beautiful fish and paired up nicely so I will keep them.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

With my qt tank once again empty I decided on my next paring attempt. This time I was going for Pakistan Butterflies. My research told me that Pakistan's lived in pairs and groups. And they were easier to form pairs or groups, but nobody knows if this is a male/female pair or both of same sexes just live together in a buddy stytem. I'll watch your back and you watch mine kind of a thing. I decided to try for a group of 3. So i bought 3 Pakistan's and put them in my QT tank. Well, two died within 48 hours before I even added any meds to the tank. I quickly ordered 2 more. Which also died after a few days. Disheartened after the losses I decided to continue with just the one for now. Which did live and was in the DT 8 weeks later. Sorry but, being almost a year ago I can't find these pictures

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Almost 2 months later to the day after adding them to the DT, I noticed a change in the Indian Vegabonds. All this time they continued the same behavior as in the qt tank. Fish A being a loner and off by itself, and the other two always together, with some mild chasing from Fish A from time to time, until November 28, 2018. To my surprise Fish A, (which continues to be a little smaller than the other two, so easy to tell apart) has now paired up with either fish B or C. I can't tell these two apart as they are the same size. And now this pair is harassing the other one. Constantly chasing it up in the corner of the tank and not letting it out of the corner. I think I finally have a pair of these butterflies! It took me 6 months to do so! I was easily able to net the single one out as it was not leaving the upper corner of the tank. Yes, success!! I sold the other single one.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

On February 6, 2019 I received word from one of my vendors that a juvenile Interruptus was available! Knowing that these fish are rare to find I jumped on it immediately.
Picture of fish sent by the vendor.

 

[Victoria M]

I think the you are sharing your journey from your notes right? Or are these current issues? Or are You are adding a second Interruptus angel?

 

[MrsBugmaster]

@Victoria M
I am posting from my notes as I did not start this build thread when I started the tank a couple year ago. However, I am posting in order of when things happened. Please notice the dates as I listed them in the post. So this last post is the second Interruptus to form a pair as this is a "pair" themed tank. (Fish to be mostly in pairs as they would be in the wild.)