butterflies in reefs

[Dr Colliebreath]

I think your cbbs were sick because they should be able to avoid the MP 60 easily if they are healthy. If you really want a cbb, look for one from Australia and quarantine it properly, plus be prepared to feed it live blackworms and clam.

Any butterflyfish is hit or miss for aptasia and always a risk to eat corals. There is another thread on this right now. You might try some peppermint shrimp.

 

[Njoy]

I think your cbbs were sick because they should be able to avoid the MP 60 easily if they are healthy. If you really want a cbb, look for one from Australia and quarantine it properly, plus be prepared to feed it live blackworms and clam.

Any butterflyfish is hit or miss for aptasia and always a risk to eat corals. There is another thread on this right now. You might try some peppermint shrimp.

I do have 6 right now in my tank, none are touching them.
I tried the filefish, that was worse then a CBB

can anyone hewre tell me if Zoster or pyramid might touch apstasia?

 

[dougc]

My yellow long nose cleared out my aptasia, but it took months for him to figure out that they were good eating. Pyramids won't touch them.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Njoy]

My yellow long nose cleared out my aptasia, but it took months for him to figure out that they were good eating. Pyramids won't touch them.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk 2

And is he a good swimmer?
Mp60 id hard on my fish haha

 

[scapes]

My auriga eats aps like candy!

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

The auriga is a great fish, but it probably will eat your corals.

 

[Njoy]

The auriga is a great fish, but it probably will eat your corals.

thanx Frank

 

[stuifbol]

Is there anybody who has experience with mixing 10 different kinds of butterflies:bounce1: in one tank(300 gallon)??

 

[SDguy]

I'll let you know in a month or two once the 240g upgrade is complete Right now, in my 110g, I have:

collare
saddleback x 2
robustus
blackback
pelewnsis/punctatofasciatus hybrid
semilarvatus
rainfordi

In QT:
fasciatus
paucifasciatus
declivis
muelleri

The butterflies in the 110g have all been together for a while now, except for the second saddleback. The key IMO is to avoid the more aggressive species, which, unfortunately, tend to also be the hardier species, like auriga and ulietensis. My blackback is also pretty aggressive, and will probably not be included in the transfer to the 240g. I also was unable to keep a marginalis and yellow longnoses with the other butterflies, due to their meek behavior and/or difficulty in competing for food.

PS - Obviously, this is not in a reef, despite the thread we are in

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I'll let you know in a month or two once the 240g upgrade is complete Right now, in my 110g, I have:

collare
saddleback x 2
robustus
blackback
pelewnsis/punctatofasciatus hybrid
semilarvatus
rainfordi

In QT:
fasciatus
paucifasciatus
declivis
muelleri

The butterflies in the 110g have all been together for a while now, except for the second saddleback. The key IMO is to avoid the more aggressive species, which, unfortunately, tend to also be the hardier species, like auriga and ulietensis. My blackback is also pretty aggressive, and will probably not be included in the transfer to the 240g. I also was unable to keep a marginalis and yellow longnoses with the other butterflies, due to their meek behavior and/or difficulty in competing for food.

PS - Obviously, this is not in a reef, despite the thread we are in

8 butterflies in a 110. You are making me feel understocked as I only have five - cbb, yln, saddleback, falcula, and ulietensis. :lolspin: You have a couple more fish in there as well, right?

My ulietensis has proved to be not aggressive to any of my other fish except the falcula (big surprise), and the minor feeding time aggression that occurred the first 3-4 months has almost completely gone away.

 

[SDguy]

My ulietensis has proved to be not aggressive to any of my other fish except the falcula (big surprise), and the minor feeding time aggression that occurred the first 3-4 months has almost completely gone away.

You are lucky. With all the experiences I've had with aggressive butterflies, it got worse over time, not better.

 

[SDguy]

You have a couple more fish in there as well, right?

Yeah, the two meredithis, and the asfur and MI. The 240 can't get filled with water fast enough!!

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Is there anybody who has experience with mixing 10 different kinds of butterflies:bounce1: in one tank(300 gallon)??

I think this is very doable in a big tank as I don't see any excessive butterfly aggression in a much smaller tank. What I have found is that one butterfly may take a swipe at another around feeding time if they get too close, but it isn't an extensive harassment with intent to do material damage. It tends to be the same two fish - the ulietensis goes after the falcula and the saddleback takes swipes at my cbb. The target just scoots away and then returns without further incident. I make sure to put plenty of food in the tank and a couple of different types at each feeding.

I wouldn't try mixing a falcula and a ulietensis as they are too similar (my having both was a result of vendor mistake). Stay with the falcula. The auriga can be aggressive, so I would put it in last if I was going to add one.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

You are lucky. With all the experiences I've had with aggressive butterflies, it got worse over time, not better.

The falcula (added second) started out bigger than the ulietensis, although the latter has almost caught up in size. I suspect whether the aggression gets worse depends a lot on the target. The falcula never seemed to care that the ulietensis was after it even though the ulietensis flared its fins and sometimes took a scale off the falcula. The falcula just circled back, never shied away, and always waded into the melee to get its share of food. It seems that a fish that lets itself get bullied incites a fish that is only establishing a pecking order to take stronger action (e.g., starting to shred fins).

 

[stuifbol]

Thnx guys,
right now i'll already have Mitratus/Decussatus/Fasciatus/Epphipium/Zanclus
and in QT: Xantocephalus(even eating flakes)/Collare
and planning:
Adiergastos/Madagaskariensis or Paucifasciatus/Rainfordi/
Quadrimaculatus/Tinkeri/Pelewensis and Reticulatus(If I can find one eating)
Allright that's more then 10:headwally::crazy1:
Maybe this will give problems between the Mitratus and Tinkeri both roaps??????

 

[SDguy]

Thnx guys,
right now i'll already have Mitratus/Decussatus/Fasciatus/Epphipium/Zanclus
and in QT: Xantocephalus(even eating flakes)/Collare
and planning:
Adiergastos/Madagaskariensis or Paucifasciatus/Rainfordi/
Quadrimaculatus/Tinkeri/Pelewensis and Reticulatus(If I can find one eating)
Allright that's more then 10:headwally::crazy1:
Maybe this will give problems between the Mitratus and Tinkeri both roaps??????

I'd be interested to see how the xanthocephalus and eupphipium get along. Also, it would be fun to try both madagaskariensis and paucifasciatus, see if they coexist. My rainfordi is probably my least aggressive BF. Might want to not be adding it last.

 

[stuifbol]

Thnx SDguy:bounce1:
I hope they will get along:uzi:
I wont try Madagaskariensis en Paucifasciatus together,It's one or the other:headwally: I'll leave that experiment to you:beer:

I'd be interested to see how the xanthocephalus and eupphipium get along. Also, it would be fun to try both madagaskariensis and paucifasciatus, see if they coexist. My rainfordi is probably my least aggressive BF. Might want to not be adding it last.

 

[SDguy]

Unfortunately we don't get that variant of mertensii here in the states very often (only seen a couple on LADD), and I feel I was lucky enough already to get a paucifasciatus.

 

[stuifbol]

For the moment they have 3 at De Jongh Holland and my LFS will visit them next friday so I hope there still out there:smokin: and looking good....butterflies on page 3 and 4
http://www.dejongmarinelife.nl/website/stocklist.asp?page=stock&nav=3
http://www.dejongmarinelife.nl/website/stocklist.asp?page=stock&nav=4
grtz Joeri

Unfortunately we don't get that variant of mertensii here in the states very often (only seen a couple on LADD), and I feel I was lucky enough already to get a paucifasciatus.