keeping butterflyfishes together

[mandlou]

Hi I have read a lot on here but this is my first post. I am hoping in a few months to add a prognathodes aculeatus to my 220l tank (L100cmxW40cmxH70cm). This fish does not appear to be popular in the UK and I was originally unsure if I would be able to source one and so whilst waiting for LFS to find out that he can actually get one quite easily and at a good price I had settled on a Kleini as an alternative if the aculeatus was not possible.

My predicament now though is that I love them both:lolspin:

My question therefore is do you think I could have them both together or would that just be asking for trouble?

Thank you:wave:

 

[mandlou]

:hmm2: 73 views and no comments, does no one know or have I possibly posted this in the wrong place??

As I said this my first post so if I have posted in the wrong place or made another mistake please could someone point me in the right direction??

Thanks

 

[moogoomoogoo]

right place. My guess is many do not know what a prognathodes aculeatus is. I had to look it up. I have never kept either one. I would be afraid your tank is too small.

 

[ganjero]

I have never tried that combination but the Kleini is fine with other butterflies; on the other hand the Prognathodes Aculeatus can be aggressive towards butterflies. With that information and your tank only being 220l (5055 US gallons) I would say just keep one or the other.

Post on this thread (the best place to check fish compatibility with other fish, with tank size, etc) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2068112&page=96 and snorvich can probably give you a good answer.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Right place, and I agree that is is just lack of familiarity with the fish. It makes sense to limit yourself to one of the two unless you find info indicating both will fit. If you put both in, they should be introduced at the same time after quarantine.

 

[mandlou]

Thanks guys, at least I know I had posted in the wrong place, I think in my heart I always expected the answer to be at best 'risky'. I will try a post in the other area suggested though just in case someone knows differently.:fun5:

As has been said it is well known that the Kleini is generally ok to mix with other butterflies it is the prognathodes that seems to be a bit of an unknown quantity, I know they don't mix well with their own kind though.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

This isn't the wrong place. If you look through the first couple of pages, you will see a very large thread about keeping butterflies in reefs, plus a large number of threads on butterflyfish. It is just a lack of familiarity with the prognathodes.

Here is a thread on them: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2099612

The two butterflyfish look sufficiently different that they probably will get along together, but the fact that your tank is less than 50 gallons raises some question regarding whether the two might fight. Probably not, but it will be up to the individual fish.

 

[mandlou]

Thank you Dr Colliebreath (and sorry for the confusion my post above should have read 'at least I know I hadn't posted in the wrong place), they are certainly are difficult fish to gather info on, I can't find a single person on the UK forums who has kept one!

I will look through the threads you recommend