pyramid butterfly fish eating pellets only

Notsolostfish · 2026-09-23T20:25:24-0400

like the title saying. I bought a pyramid butterfly fish that's eating pellets only. Not touching frozen. What's gonna happen to it? i continue to feed frozen it ignores.

JumboShrimp · 2026-09-23T22:11:44-0400

Time to buy some clams and/or mussels from the grocery store, and see whether it can resist it. I have also had 'Butterfly success' shaving off pieces of frozen scallops. Hopefully it will turn into a nice transition to frozen items. Best wishes!

GoAskAlice · 2026-09-23T22:19:57-0400

How long has it been in your tank? I don't feel a fish eating only pellets is a sign of a fish in trouble. I have 3 Pyramid Butterflyfish that are champion chowhounds. Just keep offering different foods. Your fish isn't going to shrivel up and die eating only pellets.

Subsea · 2026-09-23T22:38:56-0400

I started keeping different butterfly fish 2 months ago in my mixed garden. They will not touch dry food. I have much diver collected live rock with diverse micro fauna & fana that they munch on continually. They eat frozen mysis and live chopped up mussels. I have numerous ornamental sponges and much ornamental seaweeds that they graze on biofilms.

In my understanding, dry food only is not a good recipe for long term success with most fish especially butterfly fish.

A common cause of fatality in CBB is constipation. I suspect high protein dry food contributes to constipation without fiber.

GoAskAlice · 2026-09-23T23:02:00-0400

My point is my experience with Pyramid Butterflyfish (vs. CBB) is that they are not difficult to feed. But again...just my experience. Maybe hold the pellets and feed PE Mysis for a few days instead?

I have a dedicated clownfish/anemone tank. I added a Royal Gramma to the tank. At first that darn fish would only eat pellets. But high quality pellets, so I didn't worry. But once that fish starting eating PE Mysis there was no turning back.

Good luck. Those little fishies know how to make us jump through hoops.