Black back Butterfly in a Reef?

[gofor100]

I'm getting somewhat conflicting information on websites/books. I've read in some books/websites that the Black Back Butterfly (Chaetodon melannotus) eats mainly soft coral polyps (but no mention of hard coral polyps/SPS) and then only a one or two websites (that I'm not sure are reliable) maintain that it will decimate an SPS colony.

I understand that MOST butterfly fish love SPS, but some are considered "reef-safe" with caution. Is this butterfly one of the "with caution" fish or the "oh crap, how am I going to get that fish out of my tank before all of my corals are toast" fish???

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Stumped]

Not sure if you're asking solely for SPS because you do mention in a reef, but I posted a similar question except regarding softies/zoas/LPS and I believe it was SDguy who had one and he said it devoured his LPS.

 

[ntropics]

I have been searching for the same answer! I had two blackbacks in my QT that died (an ammonia issue, sadly) but while in there, they ate regular food, but mostly left zoanthids alone. (I would not consider this reliable considering their health was decreasing in that tank.)

Anyway, when I spoke with the folks at Blue Zoo Aquatics, I was told that they would tend to go for more "frilly" mushrooms; maybe rhodactis types I think he said. Also, ricordia would be safe, and closed brains might be okay.

In any event, coincedentally I sent an e-mail to Scott W. Michael (author of the Reef Fishes series) yesterday about just such a topic, because in his book while he specifically states that C. melannotus is NOT reef safe, he does not say which types of corals it would eat. If he gets back to me, I will post the info here.

I will be reordering the blackbacks, now that I have solved my QT problem, and I will be happy to report on my experiences in my tank (180 G, Fish Mostly with some coral.

By the way, the reef safe and unsafe lists need to be taken with a grain of salt. My "reef safe" Lemon butterfly, C. miliaris LOVES polyps, and decimates any unprotected ones that go into the tank.

Bruce

 

[gofor100]

Yeah, sorry about that guys... I should have been a little bit more clear on my "reef-safe" characteristic (as you guys pointed out, that can encompass a lot of different definitions).

I was looking at the Black Back Butterfly potentially for an SPS dominated tank with maybe a few LPS and clams.

Since I've seen a lot of resources just state they eat soft coral polyps, I was thinking that I might be able to keep one.

But then I've seen a few resources that seem to lump this butterfly in with most other butterflyfish saying that it will decimate any and all SPS corals.

And then one other that said that it will eat soft coral polyps, and may eat SPS polyps in captivity.

Just wasn't sure if anyone had any first-hand experience since I've kept a longnose butterfly fish in a mixed reef (LPS and Softy- no SPS) that was at one point thought to not be "reef-safe". Of course, I guess the term "reef-safe" in that context just means that it will eat featherduster worms and starfish tubefeet (which isn't all that important to me and doesn't make a fish not "reef-safe" in my book).

Bruce- I look forward to what Mr. Michael has to say about this fish.

 

[Stumped]

Not sure if you're asking solely for SPS because you do mention in a reef, but I posted a similar question except regarding softies/zoas/LPS and I believe it was SDguy who had one and he said it devoured his LPS.

Found my thread, I was wrong and want to correct what I said. SDguy had one with softies and they devoured those, not his LPS.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1772158

Anyway the thread was on butterflies in reefs and is worth checking out. General consensus is that black backs are definitely not reef safe and that pyramid and zosters are.

 

[gofor100]

I figured they were (just because they look like the butterflies that devour SPS), but wanted to make sure.

Bruce- I'd still be interested to see what Mr. Michael has to say...

 

[ntropics]

I have not heard back yet. He is a busy man I am sure, but if I do, I will let y'all know.

Bruce

 

[ilvfsh]

Re: Black back Butterfly in a Reef?

I've always heard the "oh Crap" for this fish.



Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk

 

[gofor100]

Too bad, but its better that I came on here first instead of going to the LFS and relying on their info... geez, some of them would try to sell copper-built reef-tanks if there were such a thing.