Golden buterfly in a reef tank

[fish_is_my_name]

I fell in love with a golden buterfly fish when I visited a lfs. But I am a little hesitant.
Has anyone try or attempt to leave a golden buterfly in their reef tank?
My tank is predominatly zoas, lps, two acroporas, one crocea clam, and one montipora cap. But very heavy stock of zoas & lps.

If so, what were the result of the golden buterfly in the tank?

Many thanks

 

[dirtyreefer]

That would be one of the worst fish to add to a reef, they will decimate everything

 

[IanInDC]

I think it's an overstatement to say categorically that the golden butterfly will destroy your reef; I have heard just as many stories about buterflies and pygmy angels that are completely reef safe as I have heard horror stories.

The answer is that each individual is completely different; just like people!

You should be willing to give back or give up the specimen if it's not to your liking (Or it turns out to be the monster that a select few of these guys turn out to be). Otherwise, you should be willing to give up your corals.

And there's a chance it will work out.

 

[fish_is_my_name]

thanks for the info.

 

[dirtyreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8015786#post8015786 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IanInDC
I think it's an overstatement to say categorically that the golden butterfly will destroy your reef; I have heard just as many stories about buterflies and pygmy angels that are completely reef safe as I have heard horror stories.

The answer is that each individual is completely different; just like people!

You should be willing to give back or give up the specimen if it's not to your liking (Or it turns out to be the monster that a select few of these guys turn out to be). Otherwise, you should be willing to give up your corals.

And there's a chance it will work out.

Angels and butterflies are quite different when it comes to diets, and while most angels are a hit and miss, MOST butterflies are not reef safe at all. The only exceptions would be the pyramid, tinkers, and sometimes copperband, heniochus, and long nosed are safe (depending on the specimen).

But goldens are not known to be kept in a reef, so I would not recommend this, nor will you find many people that have had success in keeping them in a reef.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8019613#post8019613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dirtyreefer
Angels and butterflies are quite different when it comes to diets, and while most angels are a hit and miss, MOST butterflies are not reef safe at all. The only exceptions would be the pyramid, tinkers, and sometimes copperband, heniochus, and long nosed are safe (depending on the specimen).

But goldens are not known to be kept in a reef, so I would not recommend this, nor will you find many people that have had success in keeping them in a reef.

I agree..

 

[chisel]

I have two golden butterflyfish in my tank, they destroyed my zoos and frogspawn, but it does not touch my montis, acros, or dendros.

 

[Vili_Shark]

If you mean Chaetodon semilarvatus , I tried 2 specimens at the same time.
1st day was OK.
Then they started to munh on about everything, LPS, zoos,clams and Acros.
Took me 2 days to catch them (they are smarter than I thought)and about 2 months for the corals to completely heal from the damage.

 

[thor32766]

yeah they will tear it up

 

[JamesJR]

If you had really noxious corals I would say maybe but I would never put a golden in your tank setup. There are other butterflies that make much better choices.

 

[dirtyreefer]

I love the look of butterflies, but unfortunately almost all of them are not good reef choices. If I had the $$$, I'd love to get a pair of tinkers

 

[JamesJR]

Even the Tinker's can pick at corals. What a gorgeous fish along with the Declevis.