Coldwater, relatively reef-safe butterflyfish?

[cpbartak]

Hello all,

Does anyone know if there is a coldwater, relatively reef-safe butterflyfish? I'm putting together a stocklist for a coldwater set-up (@ 60 degrees). There aren't really any coldwater SPS corals, but there are some coldwater softies (like Dead man's fingers), gorgonians, and nonphotosynthetic LPS cup corals (such as balanophylia elegans). Any suggestions? Some that I've been looking at: Are the coldwater Talmas, which look like copperbands as reef-safe as them? Is the Oriental butterflyfish (which I quite like the look of) likely to eat gorgs, cup corals, or softies?

Thanks for any info!

 

[snorvich]

Chaetodon daedalma which requires temperatures below 75F

 

[rachenbrazil]

Deepwater Prognatoides requires coldwater temp and do not eat corals.

 

[cpbartak]

So, it sounds like the Scythe butterfly would be a good option if I could ever luck into finding one as they need cold water near the temp I'm striving for. They sound really tough to find, though. I'm also not sure about the Wrought Iron, due to the price and that it seems like 60 degrees is towards the low end of what they tolerate.

I think the Chaetodon auripes is definitely out as its main diet is anemones and most of the coldwater LPS I'm looking into resemble anemones: http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2014/05/05/stony-corals-for-cold-water-reef-tanks/

Does anyone know if the diet of the Chelmonops butterflys are comparable to that of the Chelmons?

 

[cpbartak]

I don't think the Scythe would work with my plan. Just read this about the Prognathodes:

In their natural habitat the Prognathodes spp. butterflyfishes often prey on soft corals and gorgonians and as such are a significant threat to place in a reef aquarium. Many aquarists have reported success with keeping these fish with small polyp stony corals such as Acropora and Montipora, but large polyp stony corals may be picked on. For example, I keep a small P. aya in a 60 gallon reef aquarium with Sinularia, Goniopora, Cespitularia, Lobophytum and Rhodactis corals. Although it has not harmed these corals, it did attack a Trachyphyllia coral to the point of needing to be removed. I also see it prey on small bristleworms, feather dusters, and brittle stars. The upside of its cosmopolitan diet is that it savagely attacks any Aiptasia anemones that are placed in the tank with it.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Why is it you're dead set on a coldwater tank down to 60 degrees? Is there some special creature or creatures that you want that require this?

 

[cpbartak]

Yes, I prefer the look of coldwater reef tanks at this point just to try something different like Steve Weasts but without anemones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUD3jqBcUM
and like the variety of sea life that is becoming available for them.

 

[Daniel62]

Great Tank. Thanks for the link cpbartak

 

[Dmorty217]

55 degrees is much different then 70-75 degrees

 

[cpbartak]

Just in case anyone else is looking for an answer to this question, I've just asked Lemon TYK and he suggested that the chelmonops would be an excellent choice as a coldwater, reef-safe butterfly and also that the prognathodes would be a good choice, too. So, there we go.