Heniochus Butterflyfish

[ScarletReef]

The Heniochus Black and White Butterflyfish is listed as not reef safe. Does anyone know why they are listed as not reef safe? (What do they eat that they shouldn't? How much?) And does anybody have any experience with keeping these fish in a reef aquarium?

Thanks! :rollface:

 

[RealReef7]

They have a taste for zoa's.

 

[joejoe1055]

read thay can eat sps

 

[Jojoyojimbi]

there is more than one species, some say their reef safe according to which one you get

 

[n8ureman]

The only one that I have heard of that is "reef safe" in this group is H. diphreutes. However that being said H. acuminatus looks almost identical. (but WILL pick at your corals) The best way to tell IME is to look at the snout.The mouth of H. acuminatus is more prominent. (Its the most obvious if you see the two side by side.) Hope this helps.

 

[Bax]

Yes H.a. is NOT reef Safe at all

H.d. may eat your zoos. Out of four I have kept the one I have now WILL EAT ZOOS!

Great fishthoughworth not having zoas IMO!

 

[sfboarders]

Can somebody tell me if I have the heniochus diphreute or heniochus acuminatus? Here are some pics of my heni. I'm guessing I have the diphreute which is reef safe.

 

[SDguy]

The pics above are of acuminatus.

 

[jt_milstead]

I had a Heniochus Acuminatus and it loved to eat red acans.....

 

[sfboarders]

The pics above are of acuminatus.

How can you tell? I was just matching the black stripe.

 

[SDguy]

How can you tell? I was just matching the black stripe.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1626751&highlight=diphreutes+acuminatus

 

[sfboarders]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1626751&highlight=diphreutes+acuminatus

Thanks for the link Peter.

 

[jd474]

The Heniochus Black and White Butterflyfish is listed as not reef safe. Does anyone know why they are listed as not reef safe? (What do they eat that they shouldn't? How much?) And does anybody have any experience with keeping these fish in a reef aquarium?

Thanks! :rollface:

Have a school of H. diphreutes in a reef tank, and they pick at a lot of the zoanthids, and several different LPS corals. I can't tell why they discriminate against some corals, and eat (or better, devour) others (i.e. eating lobophyllia and calaustrea, but totally ignoring symphyllia and euphyllia corals). I don't see them pick at sps, however.

also, this is a fairly large school, and i don't see them all picking, but it's probably more than 50%.

 

[Bax]

Have a school of H. diphreutes in a reef tank, and .

... and now, we need a picture ....

 

[HOBrien]

Pics please

 

[sfboarders]

Does the acuminatus eat everything? I was thinking of getting some mushrooms to add some color to my rocks.

 

[jd474]

... and now, we need a picture ....

give me a day or two to get a current shot.

 

[jd474]

originally the school was strictly H. diphreutes, many had to be moved to a FO because they were destroying too many of the corals. Now the school (14) consists primarily of H. acuminatus w/a few of the original non-picking diphreutes. I don't want to hi-jack or get off topic, which is why i didn't post a pic earlier, and that's still my goal, but here you go

 

[nanshaw2001]

Awesome! Lost a heni some months ago. Wondering as a general rule....reef safe butterfly's?

 

[WuHT]

how bi tank jd474?