Is anyone keeping the semilarvatus AKA golden butterflyfish?

[B Pierce]

A beautiful semilarvatus butterflyfish showed up at the LFS I work at. I can get it for a steal(considering they usually go for ~150)

I have heard they can be picky. Does anyone keep them? I would end up putting him in a reef tank. I have read they will nip at certian corals. What corals have you been able to keep with them.

thanks,
Bill

 

[moonpod]

DON'T put 'em in a reef tank. I tried once and the thing ate EVERYTHING. Obviously every fish is individual and YMMV, but they are NOT considered reefsafe by any stretch.

 

[Redfish]

I, on the other hand, have had two of them in a full blown reef. I would not call them reef safe, as both would occasionally pick on sps, but they did not do any damage and they did not eliminate polyp extension.

They both learned to eat mysis shrimp as their primary diet. I would consider them on the risk level of a large angel. I believe the theory that while smaller angels and butterflies will eat sps as a primary diet source, they will readily convert to easier food sources, particularly as they grow larger. Please note that this does not apply to butterflys that stay small.

You can read more if you search for other Golden Butterfly threads. We have had several. I believe I also posted a picture of mine.

 

[B Pierce]

Redfish, how did they do with LPS zoanthids and other softies?

Bill

 

[Redfish]

Probably going to mow the zoos down quicker than you can say "Oh Cr@p." The fleshier soft corals are also in danger.

I have only sps in my tank with the butterfly.

 

[moonpod]

As I stated YMMV. Redfish had good luck. Mine were so bad that new sps frags would get depolypized completely within minutes. They weren't so bad with the clams. A little bit of nipping nothing bad. Some LPS they outright ate (open brain, fungia) but they didn't seem to bother the hammer, goni's and palys. Ate most other polyps well though