Experience with Lemon Butterflies?

[LCDRDATA]

I'm looking for first-hand information on Lemon (AKA Milletseed) Butterfly fish (Chaetdon milliaris). I've loved this species ever since I ran into a large school of them snorkling in Hawaii in the 80s. In the books they are described as hardy, easy to keep, and (relatively, for butterflies) reef safe. Yet I haven't found anywhere that they're available nor anyone who's seemed to have actually owned one. So I thought I'd ask. What is your experience, where can you get them, and are they worth it? Thanks!

A secondary choice I've considered would be the Long-Nose Butterfly (the longirostros, not the flavissimus). Same questions. Thanks again!

 

[JamesJR]

I have kept one personally and they are indeed quite hardy fish. They should not be very expensive as they are quite common in the Hawaiian islands. It has been some time since I had one but I don't think it should cost much more than your average raccoon or auriga butterflies.

I think that the main reason you don't see them too often is that their coloring just doesn't seem as beautiful in captivity and they often end up looking a little drab. They really are good fish overall.
I can't comment on their reef suitability.

 

[zemuron114]

bullet proof if you feed them rather sensitive to copper though.

definitely not reef safe.

 

[John Dawe]

Lemmon Butterfly pairs

Lemmon Butterfly pairs

I obtained a pair about 2 years ago. You really need to treat with copper in QT. They will tolerate it fine. They are very fast and aggressive eaters and grow fast. They do not bother a smaller blue strip butterfly that is in with them and they were fine with a C tinkeri that was in with them for seveal months. They are in a fish only tank, that is there are no feeder corals for them.

 

[Barney_Googles]

I had one a few years ago aand loved it. Bullet proof fish. I could not afford a Tinker's Butrfly at the time (Still can't) but for $25, the Lemon Butterfly had the same shape and demeanor.

It got big fast and was an absolute pig. Great fish. I like the suttle colors.