Butterflyfish in Reef?

[Big Amish]

Hello all.

One of my LFS has a beautiful Mertensii Butterflyfish, and I'm quite tempted to pick it up. It's compatable with all my current fish, but I'm concerned about future coral purchases. Specificly, I hear that Butterflyfish will nip at SPS, which I plan to start collecting in the next couple of months.

Has anyone kept Butterflyfish in reef tanks before? I don't think I'll mind an occasional nip, but I'd hate to come home from work to see an entire colony decimated.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I understand that most butterflyfish are not reef safe. There are only a few that are considered reef safe. I don't have any experience with butterflyfish, but fishdoc11 had a beautiful reef safe butterflyfish when I saw him at his home in Nashville.

If you want an iffy fish in your reef tank, you really need to have a way to capture it in case it turns on your corals or you may have to break down the tank to capture it.

Some fish are commonly considered reef safe such as Tang, but some individuals among those so-called reef safe fish develop a taste for corals. I have seen damage done on SPS's by a Blue Regal Tang. Some yellow clown gobies also cause problems to corals. Some yellow Tang also pick/eat polyps. Dwarf angels are also hit or miss, too.

Tomoko

 

[Rollin]

I've heard the same about butterflyfishes, some even feed on stonies.

I have a coral beauty in my tank that I've been lucky with. On the other hand we had a bi-color blenny that almost cost me a couple of SPS frags. I had to put an open coke bottle around them to keep the safe until i could catch him.

 

[Sk8r]

It says, re reef: "caution" and "carnivore". That means it will eat animals, meaning if it learns corals are meat,....not good.

 

[edwar050]

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=242

I have seen some of these in reef tanks though Live Aquaria disagrees. I think its hit or miss as well.

 

[Big Amish]

Thanks for you advice everyone. Based on what everyone here says, plus what other research I've done, it's up to the individual fish whether or not it's going to feed on my corals. I haven't made a decision yet, but I guess that's a good thing: If I've learned anything about this hobby, it's that quick decisions make for quick disasters.