Need a good butterfly or two

L

lesleybird

New member
Hi, Can anyone tell me some good butterflies to put in my 190 gallon tank with my Majestic and Scribbled angels....they are about 4 inches each. I need to know if there are any butterflies that won't eat my hermit crabs and snails? Thanks, Lesley
 
It' probably easier to add butterflies first followed by angels, but luckily your 2 angels present arn't notorious for being bullies.

A safe bet imo would be the Auriga(threadfin), Bannerfish (heni's), and Racoon, which are more common.

I've kept a black-backed butterfly and am keeping a puntacto butterfly, and they have not picked on a hermit crab/shrimp/snail/brittlestar, while remaining good citizens and hearty eaters.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11949005#post11949005 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WuHT
It' probably easier to add butterflies first followed by angels, but luckily your 2 angels present arn't notorious for being bullies.

A safe bet imo would be the Auriga(threadfin), Bannerfish (heni's), and Racoon, which are more common.

I've kept a black-backed butterfly and am keeping a puntacto butterfly, and they have not picked on a hermit crab/shrimp/snail/brittlestar, while remaining good citizens and hearty eaters.
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I'll agree with the choices put forth here, but IME both the majestic and scribbled can be quite pushy/aggressive with more passive fish like bf's. My majestic is constantrly pestering/chasing my black back bf which is just as large as the angel. A scribbled I kept before was a terror even at 5 inches. Choose a bf species that is on the large size, like those mentioned and try to find a specimen that is already larger than either of the angels, otherwise I think the bf's will be in for problems.
 
Fish

Fish

I would get a copper Bandend or a long nose. I had them with very aggressive fish and have had no problem, but i feed the tank 4 times a day.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11962460#post11962460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Water Box
I currently have 3 smaller Auriga's with my large French and Maculosus Angels. I haven't noticed any problems.
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pictures please :) Always liked how you had 2 showpiece big angels.
 
Both of the juv Emperor and Blueface angels are pushing 4" and were introduced first and I added 2 Golden Butterflies (approx 4") they get along okay in the open water but the angels doesn't like it when the buttys get close to their sleeping quarters.

DSC_1518Large.jpg


I haven't seen the butterflies nip on any of the inverts but they cleaned out all the corals. I've a bunch of crabs, snails, 3 cleaner shrimps and 3 fire shrimps (all 6 shrimps range from 1.75-2.25").
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11974460#post11974460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vtrieu88
Wow, they look really fat and happy. What are you feeding them?
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Thanks. I feed them frozen mysis, emerald menu, blood worm. Nori 2-3X a week and live clams/mussels once every 7-10 days.
 
re:

re:

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11968826#post11968826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WuHT
pictures please :) Always liked how you had 2 showpiece big angels.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the pic quality...and the angels seemed a bit camera shy today.
Picture785.jpg

Picture779.jpg

Picture778.jpg
 
I would advice against copper bands. Not hardy and are very timid.

Not all butterflies are necessarily peaceful. The True Facula gets pretty big and could hold its own against large anges.
 
Hi, Thanks for all the replies. I just ordered two of the Golden Butterfleis like the ones a poster pictured above. They say they do well in pairs or groups. I let you all know how it goes. They weren't cheap at $130 a piece but I think they are a lot prettier than some of the less expensive ones. Lesley
 
Update on Golden Butterflies from Liveaquaria.com. Got 2 of them yesterday. Theyare about 3 1/2 to 4", look healthy, are eating frozen mysis, and hang out together. For a while the Majestic chased them a little but has now decided to ignore them. My Scribbled angel isn't bothering them much either except for the occasional get out of my way nudge. The only fish in the tank that is trying to beat up on them is my pygmy Potter's angel that is half their size. He comes out of the caves on both sides of the tank and rams them in the side with his head to let them know that all the caves in the tank are his and he only shares them with the other large angels! No damage has been done to the new fish. They do not fight back with the Potter's angel so I think they are very peaceful fish. They are staying together out in the open.....think they are afraid to go into any of the three large caves as they already belong to the other two large angels and Potty my Potters angel. Lesley
 
That's normal and give it another day or two the aggression should diminish. The butterflies are very peaceful and will swim away and not fight back. The only thing to watch out for is flukes because lately its all over on angels and butterflies. I understand it's from LA and they QT before selling but better safe than sorry.
 
so if i want to add 4-5 butterflies to a tank should they be the first in for acclimation purposes?? can i add 4-5 butterflies at once to an empty tank without problems.. tanks is establish for yrs but i would pull out the current fish and house them elswhere for a few days, rearrange the rocks and put them back in ( all non agressive fish) after the butters had gotten settled?? I have to move the tank to a new location soon anyway so it wouldnt be a hassle to do this
thanks
CFSB
 
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