Butterfly fish

[ndfish]

Any body have luck with butterfly fish eating Big Aiptasia's.

 

[snorvich]

Sure, but the ones that are guaranteed will also eat your corals. Best is a Raccoon, it will clean them up in no time. Great fish too. Red Sea Raccoons are the best.

 

[JamesJR]

Raccoons will definately eat them. There are two species of raccoon butterflies, the red sea one is a little different and about 3X the price of a normal raccoon.

Snorvich, why would you choose a red sea over an indo pacific? I wouldn't have thought there would be a significant difference of a C. Fasciatus over a C. Lunulatus.

 

[euod]

Tinker.

 

[snorvich]

Hardiness for one, coloration for another. But I happen to really like this fish in either variety. Both eat very well in captivity.

 

[JamesJR]

I have had both but never noticed the difference. Honestly, both are very hardy fish. If someone couldn't keep a lunulatus I doubt they should try a fasciatus.

 

[Recty]

Never noticed the difference between a C. lunulatus and a C. fasciatus? The C. fasciatus has a much better coloring imo, nothing WAAAAY overpowering the "regular" C. lunulatus but they look better to me. Plus I feel they are more tolerant of water quality, like most Red Sea fish.

 

[snorvich]

That was what I was trying to say but obviously it did not come across well.

 

[Recty]

My reply was to JamesJR, he said he cant tell the difference between the two.

 

[JamesJR]

I can tell the difference between the two in appearance. I was reffering to their overall hardiness and adaptability to aquarium life in general.

 

[snorvich]

In general, I have found that Red Sea fish tend to be somewhat heartier than their Indo counterparts. But, admittedly, this is a generalization based on my own experience.

 

[AuroraDrvr]

C. Lunulatus is the Red Fin Butterfly (seen below).

C. Fasciatus is the Racoon Butterfly (seen below)

The Lunulatus' main diet consists of Coral Polyps (SPS). And rarely does well in captivity. The Fasciatus does very well in captivity, adapting easily. I think you guys are confusing Lunulatus with C. lunula.

In the case of Fasciatus vs. Lunula; the Lunula, while not as good looking, is "supposed" to be more likely to eat Aiptasia.

C. Lunulatus

C. Fasciatus

C. Lunula

 

[snorvich]

No confusion about C. Lunulatus with me. I would never attempt this fish. But I have had both of the others

 

[dflad]

Burgess butterflies are known to eat aiptasia. Mine does a very good job at it.