Pyramid butterflies and semifasciatus angels

[maroun.c]

What's ur experience with those in mixed reef systems. I have a school of 4 pyramids since over a year and no nipping so far till last week when they singled out an euphilia and nipped on it. 2 Semifasciatus have been great so far till recently when I see a very casual nipping on Acans.
Thanks

 

[B-ridge]

Sounds like it might be time to get rid of your pyramids. If so I’ll take all 4
I’ve read a couple times over the years of others pyramids doing the same thing. Not a common issue cause you don’t hear about it much. But then again each fish is different. Since you have a school/harem it might be learned behavior. Kind of like monkey see monkey do. Wish I could offer more help/assistance but I honestly don’t know

 

[Syed123]

Pyramid butterfly are the closest to reefsafe you'll get with butterflyfish. Of course there is no gaurentee.

My pyramid pair have previously nipped on my elegance coral for a bit over a year while leaving all other coral in the mixed reef alone. They started doing it randomly and then they randomly stopped. I noticed they started around the time I started feeding them silverside fish. For whatever reason it triggered the nipping and once I stopped the silverside feeding they continued nipping for a few months and then stopped. My guess is that the silverside leftovers were captured by the elegance and the fish would go after the food the elegance was holding. They then started associating the elegance with food. The other food I feed is eaten by the fish before the elegance has a chance to capture the food except for the silversides.

They didn't kill my elegance. Thing was to massive luckily.

How long have you had the pyramids? What are you feeding them? How much are you feeding them? Feeding them more may lessen the nipping.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks for all the replies, I feed a mix of pellets and flakes 2-4 times a day, and a mix of frozen LRS, Pe mysis, mini mysis 1-2 times a day. Weirdly they only nip on one euphilia. Moved it and they nipped it again. Toom iy out to a frag tank and they hover where it was as if looking for it. They don't touch the other euphilias that are just next to where it was. Have had them since close to a year now

 

[Syed123]

Thanks for all the replies, I feed a mix of pellets and flakes 2-4 times a day, and a mix of frozen LRS, Pe mysis, mini mysis 1-2 times a day. Weirdly they only nip on one euphilia. Moved it and they nipped it again. Toom iy out to a frag tank and they hover where it was as if looking for it. They don't touch the other euphilias that are just next to where it was. Have had them since close to a year now

They seem to target just one coral. Which is good. Luckily you have a way to separate the coral. I would keep the pyramids.

 

[saltyhog]

I kept a trio with absolutely no problems and several euphyllia. Weird that they just pick on the one coral with other similar ones around. Unless that particular coral is very valuable to you I would just keep an eye on them.

The only problem I had with mine was they ate and defecated like pigs.

 

[maroun.c]

I kept a trio with absolutely no problems and several euphyllia. Weird that they just pick on the one coral with other similar ones around. Unless that particular coral is very valuable to you I would just keep an eye on them.

The only problem I had with mine was they ate and defecated like pigs.

Well it's just an euphilia which is now in a frag tank anyway. Just next to it is another piece of it as it broken in the past and still untouched.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Is it possible there is a pest, algae, dead tissue or anything else they are picking rather than actually picking the coral?

 

[HairyGary]

Is it possible there is a pest, algae, dead tissue or anything else they are picking rather than actually picking the coral?

^^^This. Especially with the angels as they are omnivorous planktivores.

 

[BestMomEver]

Pyramid butterflies are planktavores, not coralavores. I’ve had lots through the years and never had trouble from a single one. They typically live in deeper water too.

 

[maroun.c]

I suspected that so moved the frogspawn to a frag tank and it's doing great which is very weird. If it was something on the coral (pest or dead tissue...) they would have nipped at 1-2 heads and not at all the heads (7-8) frogspawn also sits in between a garden of euphilias whoch so far are untouched. Will give some time to observe it they will nip at anything else and if not then I will die the frogspawn to make sure it's clean and return to tank and see.
Thanks

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've had numerous pyramid butterflies. While mostly safe, most I've had picked on xenia. Some would pick gsp, some would pick elegance corals, and a few ate aiptasia.

 

[editour2]

Ive had a couple of pyramids in my reef tank for years without any issues.

 

[ducks4rob]

I have a young pyramid that will pick a polyp off zoas from time to time. Just spits them out. I have a duncan that closed up completely a few days ago. Never saw him pick at it, but it wouldn't surprise me. Just got a swallowtail angelfish. Genicanthus are not supposed to bother coral. We'll see.