butterflies in reefs

I joined the site the other day and when I saw thread this I was amazed (read almost all 25 pgs so far! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

I myself am now thinking of having a Butterfly once I saw that there possiblities of keeping them with a reef (right now I have FOWLR because I need new lights)

WHat do you think about either (want 2 of them in my 125 gal RR tank):
Double Saddleback, Saddleback, Copperband or Long Nose?
 
If going into a reef with coral, I would not try a double saddleback (ulietensis). They are not reef safe and mine went right after coral immediately on introduction to the tank. (The seller sent it rather than a falcula as i wouldn't have tried it in a reef knowingly.) I had to remove the corals.

I didn't get the chance to test the.saddleback as it went into the tank at the same time. They may work on a reef.

The cbb or yln are good choices as you have a pretty good chance of finding one that won't bother corals.
 
Not sure if I ever listed the corals my saddleback ate, at least to some degree...

euphyllia
mushroom
acan
psammocora
sps
 
I think my saddleback would have.gone after coral as it checked them out and nipped at them, but the ulietensis picked on them so much that they all closed up after a couple of days.
 
Dr Colliebreath said:
If going into a reef with coral, I would not try a double saddleback (ulietensis). They are not reef safe and mine went right after coral immediately on introduction to the tank. (The seller sent it rather than a falcula as i wouldn't have tried it in a reef knowingly.) I had to remove the corals.

I didn't get the chance to test the.saddleback as it went into the tank at the same time. They may work on a reef.

The cbb or yln are good choices as you have a pretty good chance of finding one that won't bother corals.
Click to expand...

Great thank you very much!
 
M Woodhill said:
any ideas about copperband butterfly?

are cbb's compatible with my coconut worm, cleaner shrimp and several sps frags?
Click to expand...

Fine with shrimp and SPS. Will probably nip at a coco worm (I assume that's what you meant). Generally a delicate fish... not easy to keep.
 
I went to my LFS today to look at some butterflies. The owners really cool so not only did I get to feed the fishes brine, but also pellets. Well, surprising to both of us, he has a 4 inch Pakistan that is eating pellets with gusto! He has had the butterfly for a while now...I'm thinking if this would be a good bet since he seems well adjusted to pellets?
He also had a couple YLN and CBs, one of the CBs is eating brine but not pellets. From what I'm learning, the Pakistan butterfly is a more "difficult" one to get eating but since this one is eating pellets...maybe he will leave my mushrooms and zoanthids alone?
 
I had the same thinking with my saddleback. I figured, he's been in my care well over a year, eating pellets like crazy from day 1. Made no difference, he still munched on corals regularly :(

My pakistani LOVES mushrooms. I wouldn't do it, personally. But if you have a FO, go for it. I'm jealous it eats pellets. Mine won't :(
 
Anybody have any experience with C. robustus?
I dont know maybe a little too close in color to the muelleri but cool fish either way.
 
What a wonderful read :D. Peter and Lemon, much thanks for getting this going and much appreciation to all who have contributed. I added a Muelleri butterfly to my reef about a week or so ago. He was in an acclimation box within my reef tank for 5 days as my Black Tang was not happy with the new addition. He got run over a bit by the Black Tang once released. On the bright side, he is an aggressive feeder of blackworms despite the BT aggression. I decided to try and sell my Black Tang, but after the first week things seem to be fine between them. The BT chases the Muelleri once in a while but the Muelleri is all over the tank now grazing. He will not eat any other food I have put in, Mysis, Rod's Food, Formula One cubes, flake...although I have not tried pellets. He goes crazy for the blackworms and follows me all over the place in hopes of a morsel, but that can't be his only diet. I figure he will find and decimate all the worms in the tank as he hunts...Any suggestions for other foods I should try? Maybe the scallops or clams. I figure all the other fish will dive in and eat it all though.

I have drooled over the declivis and tinkers when they come up on PIA or DD but I don't quarantine and I am afraid to go for it with my current fish and the potential for disease. Hope to see this thread continue :).
 
Alicia, try long thin slivers of minced diver scallop. My marginalis goes nuts for them. Also the same with large raw shrimp slivers.
 
My muelleri would like to eat black worms all day too. Its like candy. Ive had really good luck with my home made mix of clam/fish/scallop/shrimp/and a mix of frozen foods. It works really well to stuff it in a hole in a rock or smear it in an empty clam shell and refreeze it. My other fish eat stuff out of the water column too fast but he seems to be learning.
 
Sadly, this little beauty never made it out of QT. Wasn't feeding well from day one and didn't take any of the foods I had at my disposal. Just chalked it up to one of those that weren't meant to be :(

IMG_3837.jpg


IMG_3825.jpg
 
pookstreet said:
Sadly, this little beauty never made it out of QT. Wasn't feeding well from day one and didn't take any of the foods I had at my disposal. Just chalked it up to one of those that weren't meant to be :(
Click to expand...

My burgessi ended up the same way :(
 
Anyone with luck with keeping groups or pairs of any of the Carribbean Butterflies in a reef and also together?
 
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