Butterflytown - 240 FOWLR

caribfan said:
The dusky continues to hang around, it nips at brine occasionally and seems interested in food in the water column when I feed initially.

I definitely don't have the feeding response I need yet though. Plan to try live clams and shaved scallops this week and hopefully some newly arrived LRS fish frenzy.

I'm currently feeding reef frenzy and it does not have the black worms
In it. I think those are a difference maker for a lot of fish.
Click to expand...

Matt, based on your experience with these fish, is there any food that somehow successfully supplies the needs of coral butterflies like C. baronessa for example?
 
Ed,

Thanks for the references about the Butterflies. I saw a few weeks ago that Bob Fernner had passed away.

I am definitely going to get a C punctatofasciatus. I am going to wait for about a month before I add anything else to my tank. I want to let the biological filtration to catch up with the extra load I added.

The C. kleini and the C. mertensii are eating like a couple of little pigs. I am alternating between flake and protien each day. I am taking Ocean Nutrition "Formula Two Flakes". I put it in a small glass container and then put a few drops of Selcon and let it soak in. I then take some tank water and mix. I pour this mixture into the tank. They eat every piece. I purchased some frozen Krill this week. I alternate between the Scallops and the Krill. I take a sharp knife and shave small pieces off. I put it in the glass container and add tank water and then pour this into the tank. Nothing is left after a few seconds.

Thanks,

Dean
 
Sounds good Dean,

Raw shrimp you get at the grocery store is good too.

Most butterflyfish you get acclimated to eating in the water column will scarf down almost anything.
 
Fiish said:
Matt, based on your experience with these fish, is there any food that somehow successfully supplies the needs of coral butterflies like C. baronessa for example?
Click to expand...

I have not really found anything in recent years.

I've always wondered if the reason they are not able to be kept is one of improper nutrition or just breaking the habit of feeding on corals.

I tend to think it's not nutrition because I have kept a number of Obligate corrallivores, C. Octofasciatus and C. Rainfordi, among others for an extended period of time.

It seems there is a sliding scale of difficulty though, and species like meyers and larvatus are near to impossible. It's a difficult issue because you hate to see these fish taken from the wild just to perish. But if no one tries to crack the code, they'll never make it into the hobby.

Unless a person is really prepared to devote the time and energy, it's my opinion that these fish should just be left in the wild.
 
caribfan said:
I have not really found anything in recent years.

I've always wondered if the reason they are not able to be kept is one of improper nutrition or just breaking the habit of feeding on corals.

I tend to think it's not nutrition because I have kept a number of Obligate corrallivores, C. Octofasciatus and C. Rainfordi, among others for an extended period of time.

It seems there is a sliding scale of difficulty though, and species like meyers and larvatus are near to impossible. It's a difficult issue because you hate to see these fish taken from the wild just to perish. But if no one tries to crack the code, they'll never make it into the hobby.

Unless a person is really prepared to devote the time and energy, it's my opinion that these fish should just be left in the wild.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you, these fish are marketed for their beauty, and many times they get into the wrong hands, beginners for example, and obviously end up dying. I think I have seen some Larvatus butterflies kept successfully, Tane Hoff keeps one on her reef, although it seems to me that perhaps a dedicated tank with corals for them would be ideal, but an expensive feed.
 
Ed,

I usually purchase one of the large wild caught shrimp and a scallop and alternate.

My C. kleini is about 2.5" long and the C mertensii is about 4" long. How big can I expect to see them get?

Thanks,

Dean
 
Mertensi maybe a inch larger or could stay about the same

kleini-- 5-6"

You can go here a get info like that on all the BF's

/www.fishbase.se/search.php

Some of the types that get large you won't be able to grow out that big. For example semilarvatus grow super slow and won't get past about 6-8" or so in a home tank.
 
Got the easy mastick food today in the mail. Fish is all ready interested in it. I'm seeing very slow progress, but at least it's progress.

The previous dusky that I owned ate like a horse, so I'm hopeful with time and patience this one will be the same.

I'll post a video later tonight.
 
Fingers crossed for you

I remember when I got into the hobby those Duskys would come in at 7-8" and eat everything in sight right away.
 
aikenreefkeeper said:
Matt,

How is the new addition? How bad did you get hit with the recent storm?

Thanks,

Dean
Click to expand...

Hey Dean,

Unfortunately, the dusky didn't make it. I found it dead yesterday.

Thankfully we didn't get much of the storm and spring weather is on its way.

Not sure which fish I'll be going after next. Will update when I get something new.
 
Update,

Looks like I got lucky. No signs of pests or dease going straight to the display with the two butterflies. They are eating like a couple of pigs. They are fattening up as well.

I haven't added anything else yet. My nitrates have crept up so I need to get that under control before I add anything else.

Dean
 
aikenreefkeeper said:
Update,

Looks like I got lucky. No signs of pests or dease going straight to the display with the two butterflies. They are eating like a couple of pigs. They are fattening up as well.

I haven't added anything else yet. My nitrates have crept up so I need to get that under control before I add anything else.

Dean
Click to expand...

Hey Dean,

Glad to hear things are going well for you. My farm season has started now, so no time for new additions. Maybe in the fall.
 
I'm joining the party with a Pakastani! This is the very first step of a new project I am working on that I have wanted to do for years. I'll post more details soon.

This is a screen shot of a vid I took. If I get the video to work I'll post later.
He's killing mysis, chopped shrimp and scallops.

Only two weeks in so if he grows and progresses I'll move ahead with my plans.

51126748110_825b98a9cd_c.jpg
 
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