butterflies in reefs

[stuifbol]

@Tylersarah:Great Muelleri....:love2:
made a new longer video of my tank....only the bleuface is very shy:spin2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-x5bXH2Rm6g

Today Ziggy, our Muelleri Butterflyfish finished his month in qt and was added to the display tank. He's a large, fat Diver's Den fish and I did not encounter any problems with him as far as parasites or appetite issues throughout the process. Like most bff he prefers blackworms and fresh raw seafood.

He is most definitely the king of the 120 gal universe.

 

[tylersarah]

@Tylersarah:Great Muelleri....:love2:
made a new longer video of my tank....only the bleuface is very shy:spin2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-x5bXH2Rm6g

Thanks, he is a very nice fish. Although all the others have been intimidated since he was put in the tank yesterday. The fairy wrasse was spooked and did a "Free Willy" move and jumped out of the tank, hit the mesh on the overflow, rolled off and back into the water.

Fantastic video, I've never seen such a fat trigger! And of course, the butterflyfish are nice too! Ever wonder what would happen if you put one piece of sps in the tank?

 

[angelfish7]

@Tylersarah:Great Muelleri....:love2:
made a new longer video of my tank....only the bleuface is very shy:spin2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-x5bXH2Rm6g[/QUOTE

Awesome video Joeri. I love your tank. Very nice balance between butterfly and angels. Just curious did you treat a'll your b/f. With copper while in QT and at what level? I have 4 in QT but haven't started to dose cupppramine yet. I intend to start dosing very slowly as I've lost several b/f with the recommended dosage.
Thanks

 

[jjk_reef00]

Peter, some recommend lower levels of copper. I personally like the tank transfer method followed by prazi treatment. I still have some losses but not nearly as many as when I was trying full dose copper.

 

[stuifbol]

Thnx:thumbsup:
All BF's where treated with copper at doses of 0.2-0.3 and Nitrofuracin in QT,but ramped up very slowly in about 2 weeks.BF's do not tolerate copper well.The combination seems to work better for BF's???
I've lost the Decussatus and Xantocephalus in the display last month when there was an outbreak of ich and started using copper faster...
My collection is almost complete....still looking for Flavirostris,Larvatus(ordered 2 last week),Baronessa or Triangulum and a new Austriacus or Trifasciatus or Lunulatus(the last 3 are very difficult but it is possible beacause I had one once)
In time some of the angels have to go because the tank is getting crowded as they grow bigger.....

@Tylersarah:Great Muelleri....:love2:
made a new longer video of my tank....only the bleuface is very shy:spin2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-x5bXH2Rm6g[/QUOTE

Awesome video Joeri. I love your tank. Very nice balance between butterfly and angels. Just curious did you treat a'll your b/f. With copper while in QT and at what level? I have 4 in QT but haven't started to dose cupppramine yet. I intend to start dosing very slowly as I've lost several b/f with the recommended dosage.
Thanks

 

[NarakuAulonocar]

stuifbol,

Beautiful fish tank.
I noticed on your youtube video that you have a Chaetodon quadrimaculatus.
How long have you had him? Was it hard to get it eating?

I'm thinking about getting one but I heard that they are hard to keep.

Thank you

 

[stuifbol]

I only buy BF's when they are allready eating...so can't help you with that sorry.....IME it's a very easy eater,eat's everything I put in the tank even flakes(most BF's don't eat that)...have him for about 2 months... will just have to wait how it turns out in the future with this fish but I'm confident it will be good....
I think like with all BF's is that you have to find a good example to start with....most BF's are allready half dead when they arrive at de LFS:deadhorse1: and don't stand a chance off surviving the QT-period because they simply refuse to eat anything or are simply to sick from worms/ich/....

stuifbol,

Beautiful fish tank.
I noticed on your youtube video that you have a Chaetodon quadrimaculatus.
How long have you had him? Was it hard to get it eating?

I'm thinking about getting one but I heard that they are hard to keep.

Thank you

 

[skraj011]

FYI, there has been an influx of paucifasciatus into the country. They are available at Live aquaria and some other places. Not sure of how many though, so if you're interested snatch them up. I got two yesterday and they look to be in good condition. they are in qt and ate this am.

 

[stuifbol]

You're just killing me skraj011 with your beatiful fish....paucifasciatus?
you're making me jealous again:eek1::eek1: I have to do it with de Xanthurus:lol2:in my tank

FYI, there has been an influx of paucifasciatus into the country. They are available at Live aquaria and some other places. Not sure of how many though, so if you're interested snatch them up. I got two yesterday and they look to be in good condition. they are in qt and ate this am.

 

[skraj011]

You're just killing me skraj011 with your beatiful fish....paucifasciatus?
you're making me jealous again:eek1::eek1: I have to do it with de Xanthurus:lol2:in my tank

Do people have friends in other countries ship fish to them? I would think that we could form a global network and increase our access.

by the way, with your setup you shouldn't be jealous of anyone.

 

[stuifbol]

The risk of sending live stock to other countries is to great I think....you won't find companies who will do that for you...then you have customs etc... at last it will cost a lot more then ordering through your local LFS....
thanks for the compliment a good reefer is never satisfied I suppose:rolleye1:

Do people have friends in other countries ship fish to them? I would think that we could form a global network and increase our access.

by the way, with your setup you shouldn't be jealous of anyone.

 

[jjk_reef00]

FYI, there has been an influx of paucifasciatus into the country. They are available at Live aquaria and some other places. Not sure of how many though, so if you're interested snatch them up. I got two yesterday and they look to be in good condition. they are in qt and ate this am.

It is great to see these red sea fish comming in! I picked up a Chaetodon fasciatus earlier this week before LA rased the price

I would love a pair of paucifasciatus but I'm really worried that adding any 2 will result in fighting and death. That has been my experience and others with pairing B/F's in general.

 

[jjk_reef00]

I just tried some rogers reef food (the orange variety), and my BF's all went crazy. They were taking large chunks out of it. Even some of the more picky feeders really ripped into this stuff. I will be interested to see if this type of reaction continues and if this food will be as effective in QT.

 

[cjscott]

I would like a suggestion on a butterfly to add to my tank. I have a 65g with zoas, lps, and sps with open rock work that provides lots of swimming room but also places to hide. Ideas?

 

[vaporized]

I have a copperband from Australia. This butterfly is a great eater and doesn't touch coral. It will eat flakes, pellets, mysis, squid, brine, mussles, clams, etc. It isn't picky and looks amazing racing across the tank. I have a friend with a school of Heniochus diphreutes in her reef and they do not touch her well established coral colonies. It is a Hawaiian butterfly and supposedly is more reef safe than H. acuminatus.

 

[SDguy]

I would like a suggestion on a butterfly to add to my tank. I have a 65g with zoas, lps, and sps with open rock work that provides lots of swimming room but also places to hide. Ideas?

LiveAquaria Diver's Den has a couple Prognathodes brasiliensis for sale right now. I think onet would be a good choice for a 65g reef.

 

[E.intheC]

LiveAquaria Diver's Den has a couple Prognathodes brasiliensis for sale right now. I think onet would be a good choice for a 65g reef.

That's a beautiful butterfly...

 

[Paris_Wiley]

I agree, I have had several long nose butterfly fish in my reef tank for many years with no problems. Not sure I would take a chance with a more destructive type without a good fall back plan on how I would get him out and where he would go when/if he started feasting on my corals.

 

[yalpal]

Found this thread and it is really interesting. I have a 180 gallon mainly SPS reef and would love to add a butterfly. I have a few fish that are considered reef safe "with caution" and have had great success. I was wondering how some butterflies compare to a fish like a Regal Angel. I have had mine in my tank for about six months and he will occasionally nip at some SPS but does no noticeable damage, and his nipping has even greatly declined with time. I know the success with the long noses tends to be much better, but I would really like a different butterfly. I really like Saddlebacks (Chaetodon ephippium), and from what I've read is that they seem to like LPS much more than SPS. I know every fish is different, but would a Saddleback be similar to a Regal Angel as far as risk goes?

Thanks for the help!

Jordan

 

[SDguy]

Not sure I would take a chance with a more destructive type without a good fall back plan

Honestly, that needs to be the take home message of this thread, and others (angels, etc in reefs). Just have a backup plan, and try what you like!