Longnose Butterfly FACT or FICTION?

[salt e]

i love the way this fish looks and act in a tank but the LFS was telling me that this fish is ONLY for a FO set up and if i planned to have any corals this might not be in my best interest as a choice for my tank... i am also looking into the Sailfin Tang... but the person that has given me the information about the Butterfly is prettymuch the same person that just got laid off from Ikea in Carson...So i turn to the reef for the answers in which i seek.... Is this fish good only in a FISH ONLY tank.... how hard are these fish to take care of... what special needs if any might these fish have....(?)

Now who's ready to play
Longnose Butterfly FACT or FICTION*!

 

[ScotchMaster]

I heard they are fine for reef but they are hard to keep cause they dont like to eat

 

[salt e]

thats kinna what i gather doing my own research... what about diseases... are they prone? i figgure that if the butterfly has issues with eating it would be best to ask the ppl at the LFS to see it eat before you bring it home correct? and if / when you get it home that it developes this issue... you could try live brine?

Mystery Wrasse & Achilles tang... those are a few other fish im looking into besides the sailfin tang... anyone have any ideas how these fish would live together.

 

[WarDaddy]

I have had a Longnose Butterfly for about a month now.

I won it at the SCMAS raffel. It is doing great. It has not bothered any corals (SPS or LPS)(knock on wood). The fish is always on the hunt finding pods to eat all over the place. I feed hte tank Cyclopese once a day and the butterfly seems to eat that too.

 

[Frankysreef]

I have a longnose butterfly that is over 1.5 yrs in my tank... loves mysis shrimp and picks on the rocks all day, and night.

Lotsa live rock with supplemental cyclopeez and mysis and big tank should be no problem. He picks at the corals a little bit but not enough to do any harm.

 

[dodgersfan25]

mine was fine and never touched my corals. the only problem is their feeding issues! he was fine for a few months but then just lost his appetite.........

 

[salt e]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7722238#post7722238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dodgersfan25
mine was fine and never touched my corals. the only problem is their feeding issues! he was fine for a few months but then just lost his appetite.........

any updates on how the issue was solved (if it ever was) or are you still batteling his sudden urge for anorexia?

 

[Eron]

I've got one in my tank for the last 5 months and he loves mysis shrimp, he cruises during the day and eats pods, also he loves to go to the cleaner shrimp and get serviced. He hasn't ever pecked at my corals

 

[salt e]

Ikea... need i say more?

 

[laverda]

I can only coment on the Sailfin Tang. He will grow to big for your tank within 2 years. So I would look for something that stays smaller. Although I love mine, but he is getting to big for my tank.

 

[Wilafur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7722238#post7722238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dodgersfan25
mine was fine and never touched my corals. the only problem is their feeding issues! he was fine for a few months but then just lost his appetite.........

sounds like cyanide poisoning.

 

[salt e]

thanks Laverda... i will wait till i get the 200+ gall till i touch the sailfin...

Cyanide*?

 

[Project Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7724345#post7724345 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wilafur
sounds like cyanide poisoning.

Ditto. Generally speaking, both the Big Longnose and 'regular' Longnose are pretty hardy fish. The Big Longnose is almost always reefsafe, the 'regular' Longnose however 'might' pick at certain corals depending. They're a very nice looking fish, and it's always puzzled me as to why they aren't commonly kept.

 

[Freed]

Does anyone have any pictures of the fish you are putting all too common names with? Scientific names would help figure out which butterflies you are talking about. Thanks.

 

[salt e]

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/marinedepotlive/Compatibility.GIF

show the butterflys as not too compatible with corals... Scientific names would be the best bet...

i was at the LFS today and was ready to purchase a small one (longnose) with some store crdt i recived from a long tent. anemone i returned since he didnt seem to be getting along with my bubble.(the bubble would follow him all around the tank...(for 2 animals with no eyes, this was a strange thing for me to watch), right when the fish was bagged and ready to go, a shock wave ran through my brain, since i introduced my first frag, i might not be doing the right thing and i should review this thread before doing so. Glad i did, i did not bring the fish home, i will continue to research before doing so.

Scientific names?

i am also looking for animals (inverts or others) to help controll algae issues that might arise in the later...from what i understand some of the best natural herbivores include tangs, blennies, rabbitfish and snails. Three different genera of tangs (Zebrasoma, Ctenochaetus, and Acantharus) can be used if the tank is large enough.The best snails for controlling algae are Trochus snails. but what are the waste givers here? are most of all the tangs frowned on?

 

[NALCOMIS]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7724256#post7724256 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by laverda
I can only coment on the Sailfin Tang. He will grow to big for your tank within 2 years. So I would look for something that stays smaller. Although I love mine, but he is getting to big for my tank.

your sailfin is too big for the 240g reeftank??

 

[salt e]

bump for the Scientific names?

 

[vanmle]

Sorry. I don't have a scientific name, but the longnose butterfly has been a terrific fish. I see him pick on the rock but not on the corals and my squamosa clam. It has been in my tank for about six months and it eats everything I have in the tank.

 

[salt e]

thanks Van... well you know what... that sounds good enough for me... if it wasn't "reef safe" i dont know why they would be sending it out in a raffel during a reefers club meet

 

[laverda]

sammoorefield, If you watched my sailfin tang swimming around my tank you would understand why I say he is getting to big for it. I have been removing some rock to give him more swimming room. It is amazing how fast he can go from the right front of the tank between rocks to the back left and back. He is very peaceful, but capable of some very fast swimming. One flick of his tail jets him to the other end of the tank. Here is a pic with a 12" ruler below him for a size comparison. I would guess he is 8" long and a good 10" tall when his fins a re flared out.