messy1messmer
New member
I was wondering if there are any reef safe butterflyfish. they say the copperhead will only eat aptasia. Is that true and wondering if they are going pick at my sps and my lps.
Butterflyfish question
- Thread starter messy1messmer
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stugray
Premium Member
You must be thinking Copperband.
I have one in my reef. It eats frozen Mysis & Cyclopeze.
He ate the only Aiptasia I had, and I dont see them anymore in the display. Now his main dietary staple is foraging on the tiny feather duster worms.
However: He nips at my candycane, and we think he has killed a few Hermits since we got him.
I have been tempted to get rid of him, but I think I'll see if he gets better or worse. I have accidentally lost a Copperband once because of my teenager trying to catch him ( chased him half to death, and he died in QT ).
Stu
I have one in my reef. It eats frozen Mysis & Cyclopeze.
He ate the only Aiptasia I had, and I dont see them anymore in the display. Now his main dietary staple is foraging on the tiny feather duster worms.
However: He nips at my candycane, and we think he has killed a few Hermits since we got him.
I have been tempted to get rid of him, but I think I'll see if he gets better or worse. I have accidentally lost a Copperband once because of my teenager trying to catch him ( chased him half to death, and he died in QT ).
Stu
mertens butterfly (pearlscale butterfly)- eats algae and spirulina
yellotail butterfly(crowned pearlscaled butterfly) eats marine fish and shrimps and frozen foods
the copperbanded (beaked butterfly)is generally safe but nips at large polyped stony corals and certain soft corals
yellow longnose butterfly seems to ignore corals but have reported to nip on stony's and soft corals they eat tubeworms and sea urchins
big longnose butterfly is supposed to be excellent for reeef tanks feed frozen foods but you can't have any more than just this one butterfly or mix em with other butterflys unless there male-female
pyramid butterfly- not a threat to corals invertabrates does eat other marine fish and meaty foods though
according to scott micheal marine fish book
yellotail butterfly(crowned pearlscaled butterfly) eats marine fish and shrimps and frozen foods
the copperbanded (beaked butterfly)is generally safe but nips at large polyped stony corals and certain soft corals
yellow longnose butterfly seems to ignore corals but have reported to nip on stony's and soft corals they eat tubeworms and sea urchins
big longnose butterfly is supposed to be excellent for reeef tanks feed frozen foods but you can't have any more than just this one butterfly or mix em with other butterflys unless there male-female
pyramid butterfly- not a threat to corals invertabrates does eat other marine fish and meaty foods though
according to scott micheal marine fish book
messy1messmer
New member
stu
do you have lps in your tank and do they pick on them
do you have lps in your tank and do they pick on them
messy1messmer
New member
sorry i knew that. I thinking like some acons frogspawns or hammers.
jdallred
New member
Steve, we have had a CBB for about two and half years in tanks that have had every kind of coral or invert you can imagine. (softies, lps, sps, clams, shrimp, crabs, hermits, ...) In the first couple of days he consumed ever aiptasia and fan worm in the tank. The only other inhabitants he picked on were clams, relentlessly until I removed them. We had frogspawn and hammers and he never touched either. Like Stu, we had a green candy cane that he never touched but we didn't have the pearl so I can't speak to that one.
He has never bothered anything else. He did try some Elongata Xenia twice but unfortunately he didn't like it. He is currently being kept by another reefer (Dave) who has him in a sump with coral frags and either a LTA or BTA and to my knowledge he hasn't bothered either. He is somewhat of a pill spitting water at Dave when he is hungry (which is all of the time), eating from your hand, and following you around the tank like a dog.
Funny story - When we moved him from the 180 to Dave's sump he was the last fish to be removed. I put the fish trap into the tank and went to the fridge to get the mysis, when I returned he was sitting in the trap waiting for me to feed him. IMO, great fish. You do need to be careful when selecting a CBB. Make sure you get a larger specimen and have the employee feed it while you watch. They are usually picky eaters and many starve in our tanks; I have had the best success using PE Mysis.
He has never bothered anything else. He did try some Elongata Xenia twice but unfortunately he didn't like it. He is currently being kept by another reefer (Dave) who has him in a sump with coral frags and either a LTA or BTA and to my knowledge he hasn't bothered either. He is somewhat of a pill spitting water at Dave when he is hungry (which is all of the time), eating from your hand, and following you around the tank like a dog.
Funny story - When we moved him from the 180 to Dave's sump he was the last fish to be removed. I put the fish trap into the tank and went to the fridge to get the mysis, when I returned he was sitting in the trap waiting for me to feed him. IMO, great fish. You do need to be careful when selecting a CBB. Make sure you get a larger specimen and have the employee feed it while you watch. They are usually picky eaters and many starve in our tanks; I have had the best success using PE Mysis.
messy1messmer
New member
so they pick on clams alot. I have a few clams but dont want to lose them. thank you so much. I have some aptasia i need to get rid of and the shrimp i got for that reason wont touch it.
messy1messmer
New member
jdallard you got pm
Martin's Reef
New member
I have a CBB that is about two years old. When I got him from another reefer he said that he would eat all my feather duster worms. I was ok with that cause I have a ton of them. I hav a sps dominated tank with some lps (candy canes(pearl and green) frogspawn and anchor) Does not touch any of them. I also have clams wich he leaves alone! The stupid thing is that he wount eat any aiptasias!
He eat P.E. Mysis. I think I all depends on the fishes temperment. JMHO.
Martin
He eat P.E. Mysis. I think I all depends on the fishes temperment. JMHO.Martin
superswimmer
New member
Not, to hijack the thread but,
I have been researching this fish, and I would love to have one, but i'm a bit flummoxed on an appropriate tank size, suggestions?
I have a 46 bowfront with 10 gall fuge
I have been researching this fish, and I would love to have one, but i'm a bit flummoxed on an appropriate tank size, suggestions?
I have a 46 bowfront with 10 gall fuge
