reef safe butterfly?

[Tab28]

Is there one? My friend has a copperband and says it does not bother his SPS. It seems there are always one or two of any fish that bucks the norm. Or are copperbands reef safe or any butterflies aside from the banner butterfly.

 

[engineeronh2o]

Pyramids and Zosters.... Copperbands are 50/50 or better. I can't ever get them to eat anything and when I do, then they get bullied.

 

[pickupman66]

LOVE my pyramid butterfly.. great fish and eats well. completely reef safe. I plan to get two more so they follow each other around.

 

[cmcneil]

i have had great success wiith copperbands.the one thing i ALWAYS do is make sure it eats at the store.also IMO a CBB should be added to a tank first,this allows the butterfly to get used to his new home without bullying by other fish and gives you a higher chance of a good outcome with the fish.i have even found a CBB that was the size of a quarter that i had for over two years before selling him and he is still going strong in a buddies tank to this day.they are reef safe or at least as safe as a butterfly can be.i have NEVER have one mess with any of my sps or lps however one of mine did try to eat one of my crocea clams and got his nose caught by the clam.needless to say the CBB only did that once and never tried again lol.i guess they do learn ;)

 

[droblack]

My CBB is great. No nipping on sps or lps or softies. But loves aiptasia!!! I wouldn't want to let him get too hungry though.

Oh, I paid 150 for em. Picked it up from a local reefer at that price because he was established. Going on 2 years now.

 

[OMG Corals]

Copperbands will nip at some things. That doesn't mean they can't be in a reef. They will probably do best in this setting.
However, love my pyramid bfly and am on the hunt for two more. Hoping for the black pyramids. Never messes with anything and eats just about anything including dried algae!

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

 

[Tab28]

Thanks all for your input. I love the look of the CBB but finding one in a LFS that will be honest about its eating habits is very slim. I have seen the pyramid butterflies several times at stores and just overlooked them. They do not have the eye catching color of the CBB but are not as drab as a banner. I will have to give them another look.

 

[rholguin]

I have a pair of kleini and a declivis and my sps are doing great. Don't get me wrong they do nip but cause no damage to corals. As long as your corals are healthy they should be ok. Butterfly fish just like angels are a gamble some do ok some won't, but imo they are worth the gamble.

 

[snobored]

Never had any prob w/cbb, except for the occasional clam nipping as mentioned, and I too always try to buy one that's eating, like most fish. I'd love to try a declivis or mitratus

 

[Troylee]

My Cbb ate my aiptasia, feather dusters, clams and went for the acans before a mp60 got him.... Reef safe with caution!!!!

 

[el richie]

Yellow longnose is also a "reef safe" butterfly. The burgesse too

 

[wakeboardgeek]

I haven't come accross anyone complaining about their butterfly fish. I'm planning on adding 2 or 3 when I upgrade.

 

[yoshii]

I think most people have had success with CCB
Personally I have a Schooling Bannerfish in my reef, never nipped at a thing. The only potential problem is your LFS might get in a Longfin Bannerfish, which looks very similar but isn't considered reef safe