C. ulietensis vs. C. falcula in reef aquaria

[ourmanflint]

bit of an update...

I had to go away with work for a week and lost one of the falculas while I was gone. It was the healthier looking of the two, have no idea what happened. The other one has now been joined by a pair of kleinii.

So is it reef safe? It's early days but it hasn't touched the following: All my clams are fine, derasa and maxima, Anthlia, Yellow Polyps, Symphillia agarica, blueberry gorgonian and fan worms. Of the SPS it hasn't bothered my Poccilopora or Stylophora, the Turbinaria peltata, though the small polyp cup form did take a beating at first though no interest shown for days, my A. formosas are fine as are the A. loripes and S. guttatus. The zoas and palythoa get a nip or two every day but nothing serious. I've seen it nip at a few things but hard to say what it is actually targetting. One thing that has almost vanished from my tank though are the hundreds of small hydroids I have almost on every rock face. I've seen the falcula cruise along the rocks picking these off like candy. It also spends a lot of time underneath my A. efflorescens picking off something, no idea what, but maybe flatworms.

They are certainly omnivorous without a doubt, a nip here a nibble there, but no serious damage as of yet. I am trying multiple daily feedings when I can to see if I can wean it off nipping. I think all these butterflies naturally need a lot of food daily hence the constant cruising for snacks.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

you wouldn't happen to have a picture handy (or proper ID) of the hydroids it ate, would you?

 

[ourmanflint]

Hi Gary

I do have a pic but no ID so if you do know, can you let me know. The hydroids are above the blue nodules you see in the pic, not very clear I know, but they are pretty small. I think the nodules are eggs possibly. Anyway almost all gone now, seem to be a favourite with the Kleins too.

 

[ourmanflint]

I hated to have to do it, but I've taken the decision to remove the remaining C. falcula. I thought I could take it's nipping, but it suddenly got a taste for my hammer and I didn't want to see what else he would get into next. I think overall these fish are medium reef safe, they will pretty much leave SPS alone, but PE will disappear during daylight hours so not perfectly behaved, didn't touch Stylo, Pocci, Turbinaria peltata. Zoas and Palythoa polyps are targeted daily as was the Trachy until I removed it. Was safe with all the NPS, chilli coral, Scleronephthea and Blueberry Gorg, and clams, didn't even nip my feather dusters.

The Kleins are still in there, and I'll be looking to replace the falcula with another butterfly.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

sorry to hear of the problems but thank you very much for sharing