World's biggest idiot...Right here

scriptmonkey · Feb 2, 2019

Long story short...

Go to my local fish store. Talk to the guy that runs it we talk about what I want to do with a mixed reef. Has this super friendly fish ask him about it said it was a raccoon Butterfly been there 4 weeks needs a good home. So I buy it( sucker for fish that follow my finger) Acclimate him turn him loose he goes and hides. I throw his favorite food in, blackworms. He goes nuts. Eats that like crazy. Running over my other fish. Then proceeded to eat my feathers...then starts pecking at my snails. Go look online, Not reef safe.

I'm an idiot and got wrapped up in the moment...now to figure out what to do, will try to trade him or give him away locally. Lesson learned.. .ALWAYS LOOK ONLINE.

justjes45 · Feb 2, 2019

scriptmonkey said:
Long story short...

Go to my local fish store. Talk to the guy that runs it we talk about what I want to do with a mixed reef. Has this super friendly fish ask him about it said it was a raccoon Butterfly been there 4 weeks needs a good home. So I buy it( sucker for fish that follow my finger) Acclimate him turn him loose he goes and hides. I throw his favorite food in, blackworms. He goes nuts. Eats that like crazy. Running over my other fish. Then proceeded to eat my feathers...then starts pecking at my snails. Go look online, Not reef safe.

I'm an idiot and got wrapped up in the moment...now to figure out what to do, will try to trade him or give him away locally. Lesson learned.. .ALWAYS LOOK ONLINE.

I have done the same thing...

scriptmonkey · Feb 2, 2019

justjes45 said:
I have done the same thing...

Yeah, how did you remedy? I always research everything to the Nth degree. The one time I don't. Bam!

Goldenvue · Feb 3, 2019

Those spontaneous buys will always bite you in the kulo!

Scotty Buttons · Feb 3, 2019

Im sure he was excited to see all those tasty treats in your tank! Don't beat yourself up.

tupes · Feb 3, 2019

There is a chance If you keep him well fed he may leave the other stuff alone.

IME Just like dwarf angels keep them fed and you are good let them go hungry and you will know about it.

scriptmonkey · Feb 3, 2019

tupes said:
There is a chance If you keep him well fed he may leave the other stuff alone.

IME Just like dwarf angels keep them fed and you are good let them go hungry and you will know about it.

That's what I am thinking. I will give him a shot, he acts like a menace then I will re-home him to a place that's fish only or FOWLR.

nereefpat · Feb 3, 2019

What corals do you have? That butterfly will most likely eat any corals in a tank. Dwarf angels are algae eaters that can pick on corals, but butterflies are invert eaters...they do it for a living.

If you don't keep corals, or only have fast growing and cheap corals like gsp, it might be worth trying to keep it. Otherwise there is basically no chance that it will be remotely reef safe.

They also get pretty big, even for butterflies, so keep that in mind.