Longnose butterfly and clams?

[delphinus]

Anyone keep Forcipiger flavissimus and/or Forcipiger longirostris in a tank with tridacnids? Can't find a lot of info regarding their disposition towards clams and kind of don't want to find out the hard way it's a no-no

 

[a4twenty]

i haven't but....

as a general rule angels and butterflyfish are not 100% reef friendly, going after inverts and corals. IMO longnose butterflyfish are built to go after invertebrates and should not be trusted in a reef tank.

 

[Paul B]

I have kept them together for many years and never had a problem but copperbands are different then many fish and they have a definate personality that differs from fish to fish. Especially in their diet. Some copperbands will eat flakes and some just worms. I have heard of them biting clams but in the 20 or so I have kept, I have never seen it. I am sure some of them do

 

[delphinus]

Sorry - did you mean copperbanded (Chelmon rostratus) or longnose? I'm hoping for experiences with the 2 yellow longnose species specifically .. there's not a whole lot of anecdotal evidence out there with them and clams. Warnings about LPS and corals but not clams. Was hoping someone knows!

FWIW I do already have a CBB with clams. Not 100% coral safe though. I'm sort of expecting the yellow longnose's would be similar but I'd still like to know of any first hand experiences.

 

[ozadars]

I had to take my clams out because the first day I introduced Forcipiger flavissimus to my tank, it started to pick on them non stop. You will have better chance with Forcipiger longirostris but they are very rare.