Poll: How many reefers have successfully kept a butterfly?

Devaji · Feb 5, 2019

@Steve Fast question for you as you seem to have a lot of experience with butterflies. do you know if they will eat gorgonias?
I also took the raccoon off my list
so far I have in order of most desired
copperband
sadleback
Pakistani
Auriga or black back
pearl scale

thinking about skipping the classic yellow tang in favor of the yellow long nose.

if all goes well with the butterflies might skip other fish as well to add:
latticed -raffesli &
sunset Chaetodon pelewensis

does anyone see any compatibility issues with these butterflies? if so I might just go with the CBB only and do a wrasse tank. but I think a butterfly dominate tank would be cool.

any suggestions on order to add them?

Steve Fast · Feb 5, 2019

Devaji said:
@Steve Fast question for you as you seem to have a lot of experience with butterflies. do you know if they will eat gorgonias?
I also took the raccoon off my list
so far I have in order of most desired
copperband
sadleback
Pakistani
Auriga or black back
pearl scale

thinking about skipping the classic yellow tang in favor of the yellow long nose.

if all goes well with the butterflies might skip other fish as well to add:
latticed -raffesli &
sunset Chaetodon pelewensis

does anyone see any compatibility issues with these butterflies? if so I might just go with the CBB only and do a wrasse tank. but I think a butterfly dominate tank would be cool.

any suggestions on order to add them?

Not ignoring you, just a bit busier than had hoped. Will reply soonest...

Steve Fast · Feb 9, 2019

OK sorry for the delay. Work got a bit hectic, computer went down, and finally caught up…

First let me quantify that I have not had success with a copperband. They have always been shy and so getting them to eat has been a problem. Even when they eat, they hang out in the shadows and seem stressed out by all of the activity from the other butterflies. Also according to Scott Michael, copperbands have an aquarium suitability index of 2, which is not very good. So if you want one, I’d suggest you add it first and have it eating very heartily before any others are added.

I have not had any long lasting issues adding butterflies in whatever order I find them available. So basically, availability is what guides the order I’ve added them. Also have had no problems with a yellow longnose and a yellow tang together. The Auriga gets a bit bigger than the other species you listed which is why I haven’t had one… though 30 years ago when I had butterflies, the one I had was supper hardy. I have not tried a black backed as it was not on any list of reef safe…. Nor have I seen one at any of the LFS within 60 miles... It's a nice size and if I felt sorry for one in a LFS, I’d likely try it… I have been trying to find a Chaetodon pelewensis for a long time, thought the Spotband Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus) is fairly easy for me to find, looks nearly the same, and IME hardy. Still looking for the Chaetodon pelewensis. I see that LiveAquaria has them, though they ship UPS, which in my area is 2+ hours later than FedEX pickup… so I don’t order from them any more. Might have to drive for that one...

A wrasse tank would be cool too. I have had issues with multiple wrasse species in the same genus getting along, so have shied away from having as many of them as butterflies.

Hope this helps!

Devaji · Feb 9, 2019

Steve Fast said:
OK sorry for the delay. Work got a bit hectic, computer went down, and finally caught up…

First let me quantify that I have not had success with a copperband. They have always been shy and so getting them to eat has been a problem. Even when they eat, they hang out in the shadows and seem stressed out by all of the activity from the other butterflies. Also according to Scott Michael, copperbands have an aquarium suitability index of 2, which is not very good. So if you want one, I’d suggest you add it first and have it eating very heartily before any others are added.

I have not had any long lasting issues adding butterflies in whatever order I find them available. So basically, availability is what guides the order I’ve added them. Also have had no problems with a yellow longnose and a yellow tang together. The Auriga gets a bit bigger than the other species you listed which is why I haven’t had one… though 30 years ago when I had butterflies, the one I had was supper hardy. I have not tried a black backed as it was not on any list of reef safe…. Nor have I seen one at any of the LFS within 60 miles... It's a nice size and if I felt sorry for one in a LFS, I’d likely try it… I have been trying to find a Chaetodon pelewensis for a long time, thought the Spotband Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus) is fairly easy for me to find, looks nearly the same, and IME hardy. Still looking for the Chaetodon pelewensis. I see that LiveAquaria has them, though they ship UPS, which in my area is 2+ hours later than FedEX pickup… so I don’t order from them any more. Might have to drive for that one...

A wrasse tank would be cool too. I have had issues with multiple wrasse species in the same genus getting along, so have shied away from having as many of them as butterflies.

Hope this helps!

thanks for the replay and info even if I dont do a butterfly tank I am sure this info will help other reefers out.

hmm yeah I am have been debating so many amazing butterflies. but the C. pelwenis is on the list for sure. problem is there are so many styles of the pattern you never new know what you ill get. well from the google image anyway no LFS within 100's of miles for me .

Reeferguy365 · Feb 9, 2019

I have had a copper banded butterfly for a little over two years now great fish model citizen but will not eat pellets loves mysis shrimp though. Also it doesn't touch any Coral great fish it's my woman's favorite

DraggingTail · Feb 18, 2019

Thanks. Lots of replies!

Punchanello · Feb 18, 2019

I've had a CBB and Lognose. Both were great eaters. Both decimated my acans.

User1 · Jul 10, 2019

@ca1ore older thread I know but did you ever introduce Zoster's and if so how is it or they doing? I believe you have multiple of the pyramid which is I guess the same more or less just yellow and white, correct?

I was thinking about adding a couple to my 210 gallon tank (Zoster's) or maybe one of each. Doing some drive by reading to see if this is something I'm going to pick up, if they ship well, etc. Hoping they leave soft corals alone with the exception of eating my Xenia

ca1ore · Jul 10, 2019

Yup, five of the yellow pyramids and three zoster. They are identical in terms of behavior and hardiness.

Fiesty · Jul 10, 2019

Zosters and pyramid butterfly fish have been totally reef safe for me in mixed reef. Here is a pic of the Zoster's

Larryr · Jul 10, 2019

Steven91 said:
My longnose? was about a year and half old and i dont think he ever went after my coral, might have lost a zoa head or 2 but that never bothered me. He was a very aggressive eater.

The copperband i've only had for a few weeks and is eating very well and have not gone after coral

Larryr · Jul 10, 2019

Always had CBB in my tanks. They have been very reliable aptatia control. Yes I read about how finicky they are to feed and that they will go after soft and LPS corals but I currently have three (in separate tanks) that are over three years old and they are doing fine and not an aptatia to be seen. I are feed mysis once a day.

Steven91 · Jul 10, 2019

Larryr said:
Always had CBB in my tanks. They have been very reliable aptatia control. Yes I read about how finicky they are to feed and that they will go after soft and LPS corals but I currently have three (in separate tanks) that are over three years old and they are doing fine and not an aptatia to be seen. I are feed mysis once a day.

Currently have a longnose and CBB mixed together in my tank, seem to school together and always close to each other

Ike · Jul 10, 2019

I bet this pole would look REALLY different if success was defined by 5+ years in captivity. I've kept a CBB for 5 years, but still don't feel good about how commonly they're collected and how cheap they are. They're too often viewed as disposable by aquarists.

sam.veilleux30 · Jul 10, 2019

Tried cbb many times with differents results over the years.
The present one is slowy going near 1 year (+-9 months) and is doing fine.
The only other butterfly i ever had is a longnose.
They are ok with the corals, i dont have many lps but what i keep they dont nip.

The longnose is with me since 2 months and is slowy taking some weight.

Shu_Ting · May 23, 2020

Musovski said:
ive had a couple, but i ended up selling most and keeping one.

Had these:
CBB
Threadfin
Pearlscale
four eyed
Pakistan

What i ended up keeping is my threadfin, mainly because thats my fathers fish. Each person in my family chose a fish, he chose the threadfin

Hi! We have a threadfin too but it won’t really eat... we have tried these methods:

(1) minced shrimp and shaped into a log, freeze and tied down with a rubber band to a small disc

(2) clam tied down with a rubber band to a small disc

(3) pellets

(4) frozen piece of fish/squid

The first time I gave frozen seafood, I cut thinly and just put it in the tank. The fish nipped at it but lost interest after a few nips. And then every time I put some food for it, it just circle around the food and doesn’t eat anything. We have had it for about 2 weeks now and it spends a lot of time hiding behind a coral rock. It’s now in quarantine tank but we don’t put any medications for it.

I would really like to know how to get it to eat. Advice please.

Shu_Ting · May 23, 2020

Lb71 said:
CBB over 2 years now. Local fish shop. Was difficult to get to feed until I used a feeding station set up for the fish’s style of eating of poking their snout into holes and crevices. Had in quarantine 6 weeks Prazipro was only treatment used. Now eats like a pig, loves to eat out of my hand when feeding frozen. Never was able to get the fish to eat anything but all types of frozen. Especially LRS products.

Would love to see a picture of the feeding station please?

Shu_Ting · May 23, 2020

Steve Fast said:
Here goes on my experiences... will try to write more sometime... I have a 520 gallon 10 foot tank. I have softies, some hardy SPS, and LPS… nothing fancy. The tank is well fed. I have the following butterflies: double saddle, Indian vagabond, 2 X pearl scale, 2 X longnose, 2 X lemon, Pakistani, latticed, atlantic reef, Klein’s, peppered, spotband, 4 spot. I cannot keep monti nor most frogspawn or hammers, though do have one frogspawn that they have always left alone… go figure. These corals were decimated by the double saddle, latticed, and spotband… though mostly the double saddle and only recently. I’ve tried CBBs, but they seem too shy to adapt to the other butterflies’ feeding cadence…. The butterflies all get along very well. They are very social and will eat best when put in the display tank right away... they seem to learn quickly form each other. Probably the least conspecific aggressive fish I’ve ever had other than shrimp gobies and my three purple tilefish. I have had issues with disease and run heavy UV (4 X 500 W @ 500 gph each) to keep it in check. Also have witness the spotband "cleaning" other butterflies just like my cleaner wrasse. Odd, though it has happened too often to be coincidental. I feed chopped clams on the half shell, chopped shrimp, scallops, & squid along with mysis and brine shrimp. They eat in a frenzy... especially the clams. So all in all I agree with @Jase4224 and @glennf.

Hi! Is it possible to share how to feed chopped seafood on half shell? Wouldn’t the chopped up food just float everywhere? I’ve had no success yet with feeding the threadfin...

WVNed · May 23, 2020

So far the only thing mine will eat are live white worms and what it finds in the tank. It spends all day picking things from the sand bed and rocks.
He is skittish and hides if I move around the tank.