My butterfly tank

[ntropics]

Well, I know it's not a reef tank, but they ARE reef fishes!
Anyway so here is a movie of my tank which is primarily butterflies and dwarf angels. The naso tang came when I ordered a black back butterfly and got him sent by mistake. I went with an eight foot long tank to accommodate those that like to swim. I do have concerns about turn around space when the naso gets big, but since they couldn't take the fish back, I'll just have to wait and see.

I'm pretty certain that I am fully stocked for this tank at this point, especially considering full size of the animals. I have an oversized skimmer and do on average 50 gallons water changes every month. The only time I ever had nitrates above 40 is just this week when the skimmer was off for a few days. Its now at between 20 and 40 with the addition of nitrate reducer rocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeCtGBhmQjU

Bruce

 

[tcmfish]

Lookin Good!

 

[SDguy]

Awesome!! The falcula has always been a favorite of mine.

 

[ntropics]

Thanks! So my idea was that it is difficult to pair butterflies, (i.e two of same species) and three was even riskier. (Opinions of course welcome there.) Bit why not try species that have some similarities but not close enough in appearance to compete. It's working out pretty well, no biting or fighting yet. Although the auriga butterfly has twice mistook the tassle file fish for algae!!!

Bruce

 

[snorvich]

Awesome!! The falcula has always been a favorite of mine.

Likewise!!

 

[SDguy]

Thanks! So my idea was that it is difficult to pair butterflies, (i.e two of same species) and three was even riskier. (Opinions of course welcome there.) Bit why not try species that have some similarities but not close enough in appearance to compete. It's working out pretty well, no biting or fighting yet. Although the auriga butterfly has twice mistook the tassle file fish for algae!!!

Bruce

I've pretty much done the same thing. A couple pairing attempts were terribly successful, so I just ended up with single that all get along great.

 

[wooddood]

feed the cat thats whineing in the background. lol

 

[ceige]

looks good!

 

[ntropics]

feed the cat thats whineing in the background. lol

That's Ling Ling! He whines all the time. So much that I barely notice it. I'm trying to get him to stop by feeding him twice per day instead of whenever he whines! I created a monster.

Sometimes people think it's our baby. It's a good way to get telemarketers off the phone.

Bruce

 

[jonathansruelas]

great tank.. filefish is awesome...
what u feed the butterflies?

 

[ntropics]

Once per week I make up a melange of San Francisco Bay brand Angel Fish/Butterfly frozen food, mysis shrimp, red and green nori, spirulina based flake food, and add garlic and selcon. I make eight servings, and place in used yogurt cups which I freeze. Then in the early morning when I take the whining kitty out of the bedroom, I give the tanks some Cyclopeze. They seem to love it. I didvide the feedings into a morning and night feeding, plus the Cyclopeze, so that the fish are getting three feedings per day. NOTE: Not three times the food!!!

It works pretty well, and everyone is happy. Never had any fish go on a hunger strike.

Bruce

 

[small alien]

That's Ling Ling! He whines all the time. So much that I barely notice it. I'm trying to get him to stop by feeding him twice per day instead of whenever he whines! I created a monster.

Sometimes people think it's our baby. It's a good way to get telemarketers off the phone.

Bruce

Lemme guess. Siamese?

 

[LemonLemon]

beautiful coraline encrusted FOWLR tank.

usually the rocks are just dead.

 

[small alien]

So true. Though I personally just can not get used to the look of FOWLRs. They just look unfinished. But that is a beautiful tank and the rock work is very nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ntropics]

Thanks for the compliments. I don't really know what I did right to get all that coralline. I did use purple up for a while. Now I put it in when I get a chance. It was really cool watching the coralline take over the rocks, I must say.
I like reef tanks too, but with my fish choices, my coral choices are very limited. No polyps, that's for sure. They last about a day or two! That brain coral seems to be left alone by everyone, though.

Bruce

 

[jonathansruelas]

Once per week I make up a melange of San Francisco Bay brand Angel Fish/Butterfly frozen food, mysis shrimp, red and green nori, spirulina based flake food, and add garlic and selcon. I make eight servings, and place in used yogurt cups which I freeze. Then in the early morning when I take the whining kitty out of the bedroom, I give the tanks some Cyclopeze. They seem to love it. I didvide the feedings into a morning and night feeding, plus the Cyclopeze, so that the fish are getting three feedings per day. NOTE: Not three times the food!!!

It works pretty well, and everyone is happy. Never had any fish go on a hunger strike.

Bruce

i use the same stuff as you basically but individually, i should start buying selcon though i heard it gives alot of vitamin A to prevent disease..