Keeping pyramid butterflies in a group?

[Winwood]

Ok so I have an aquarium maintenance company. One of my customers has a Marineland DD 250 with all the bells and whistles. His tank currently houses a single large blueface angelfish which he loves. I just recently took over this account and have convinced him to give me a rather large budget to fill out his tank properly. The tank is a little over a year old.

One fish I'd like to give serious consideration to would be the yellow pyramid butterfly fish. I'm thinking of doing a group of 5-8 of them in there. My client would still like to be able to have some basic corals and probably an anemone/clownfish combo. By basic corals I'm talking about leathers, mushrooms etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I don't have extensive experience with this species.

 

[MarinaP]

I have 3 in a 200G. They are great fish, not too difficult to acclimate. They eat mysis, homemade frozen, OVA and bits of nori. Mine are fully grown and they look big, because of the almost square body. I think 5-8 will be too many for a 250G.

 

[rssjsb]

Agree with all of that ^.

 

[Winwood]

So marina do they school together? Is 3 enough to make them feel comfortable? I've read that they don't do that we'll singly, and that it's better to keep them in small schools. That is why I was considering the higher numbers.

I'm looking for some real pizzazz. The client has an upcoming shoot with the discovery channel, and I'm told they made feature the tank as part of the business.

I really like butterflies as wow factors in tanks. I have a tank in a hospital with 3 full grown Hawaiian raccoons and get lots of compliments on them. Obviously, raccoons would be murderous on coral, that's why I was looking at pyramids.

Btw, the raccoons were an experiment to see if they would get along. It has been 2 months now and they seem to love each other's company. Even schooling together while they patrol the rocks in their tank.

Just because every thread needs pics, here is some shots of the raccoons a day after I put them in there. I love watching these guys swim and am considering doing something similar in my own home.

 

[TankStudy]

I really like butterflies as wow factors in tanks. I have a tank in a hospital with 3 full grown Hawaiian raccoons and get lots of compliments on them. Obviously, raccoons would be murderous on coral, that's why I was looking at pyramids.

They are beautifully dangerous. lol.

 

[SDguy]

Btw, the raccoons were an experiment to see if they would get along. It has been 2 months now and they seem to love each other's company. Even schooling together while they patrol the rocks in their tank.

Be careful, when butterflies turn on each other, it's quickly and ferociously!

 

[Winwood]

Be careful, when butterflies turn on each other, it's quickly and ferociously!

Yeah, I was worried about this but these had been held together for 6 weeks at the wholesaler already. That's why I thought I'd give it a shot. I have seen copperbands and YLN's get down right brutal on each other in the past.

 

[SDguy]

These two were fine for a few months, then came home one day to the smaller one ripped to shreds... it didn't survive.

 

[MarinaP]

So marina do they school together? Is 3 enough to make them feel comfortable?

They don't school, they barely tolerate each other. They work it out since they have to conspire against my blueface angel to stay alive. A group of 3 is fine, 5 will be boring Why don't you use an anemone as a centerpiece for that TV shoot? Those huge RBTAs will look good and unusual enough for general TV audience

 

[SDguy]

They don't school, they barely tolerate each other. They work it out since they have to conspire against my blueface angel to stay alive.

:lol: Best description I've read in quite some time.

 

[Winwood]

I don't have any huge RBTAs if I did I would use it. I guess I guess I could order one in. I'm probably going to be pulling from my own personal collection to help fill the tank in. Selling off a lot of my soft corals, mushrooms etc.. However, as you know fish can be tricky, and I'd like to explore a few different options.

My basic list goes like this
Pyramid butterflies x-amount
Blueface angel already established
Pair of tomato clowns already in my possession
Copperband butterfly
Sailfin tang
10 azure damsels
6 humbug damsels 4 stripes
Harlequin tusk
8 squamapinnis anthias

Keep in mind my client wants bright, showy, and lots of movement.

 

[degibson84]

with a blue face i dont see how coral would even be a thought.

 

[Winwood]

with a blue face i dont see how coral would even be a thought.

I've had limited success with these before. It's just a matter of picking corals they won't eat. I believe it will take some experimentation, but I am fairly confident I can find some tough leathers such a Kenya tree, devils hand, toadstools, mushrooms, and things like that. As a bonus, they should provide nice movement in the abundance of current this tank has.

 

[Winwood]

They don't school, they barely tolerate each other. They work it out since they have to conspire against my blueface angel to stay alive. A group of 3 is fine, 5 will be boring Why don't you use an anemone as a centerpiece for that TV shoot? Those huge RBTAs will look good and unusual enough for general TV audience

Are you thinking 5 would be too redundant? I guess it's just a matter of taste, but I love the schooling butterfly look. My original idea was to try and recreate something straight out of French Polynesia like this, but of course, on a smaller scale.



I know it's pretty radical but I think It would be such a stunning display. My client says he wants some coral though. So ulietensis and auriga are off the list.

 

[anbosu]

You could add a group of royal grammas as well.

I would keep the pyramids to 3 and add a group of Bartlett anthias if you want more color and movement.

 

[Winwood]

You could add a group of royal grammas as well.

I would keep the pyramids to 3 and add a group of Bartlett anthias if you want more color and movement.

I like that idea but my experience with Bartlett's is they almost always all turn male.

 

[Winwood]

Feast your eyes on this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aToGOH14_I