Racoon Butterfly

[Billybeau1]

Saturday, picked up a Racoon Butterfly (Chaetodon lunula) I think. He doesn't seem to want to eat yet. So far I've tried Mysis, Plankton, blood worms, veggies and marine flakes. Nothing yet after day 3. Anything else I could try or should I just wait it out for a week or so. He is active and doesn't seem to be stressed by his new home or tank mates. Maybe I'll try soaking the food in garlic tonight.

 

[RGBMatt]

Only 3 days? You shouldn't be worried yet. Don't be surprised if it takes a week or so.

Live brine shrimp are always good for stimulating butterflies' appetites.

 

[Billybeau1]

Thanks Matt. Unfortunately my LFS doesn't carry live brine. My old one did but it burned down a couple of years ago. Tried beefheart soaked in garlic last night. Still no appetite. If he doesn't start eating by Saturday, I'll have to travel a little farther to find live brine.

 

[Billybeau1]

Day 5 - still not eating

 

[dirtyreefer]

Try buying some fresh mussels from the grocery store, freeze them (to kill off any unwanted bacteria), and then pry the shell open and throw it in. They love that.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Well, they love corals like polyps..that would be an expensive meal but he might eat..Some people use clams to coax them to eat. They also love aiptasia. Mussels are good as stated above. Also try Algae sheets, mine loves the Purple algae
Raccoons can start out to be finicky eaters but once they start they are little piggies. Mine ate as soon as I put him in my qt and now eats out of my hand. They are awesome fish, full of personality... I hope yours starts eating




I was going to pm you about this yesterday, but got sidetracked

 

[Billybeau1]

Thanks, both of you. I will pick up some mussels today. This is truely a beautiful fish and would hate to see it go. I named him Rocky (go figure)

 

[moogoomoogoo]

I would try frozen brine shrimp if you can't get live. Also take a larger shrimp or a krill and smash it between your fingers above the tank so the juice runs into the tank. I have found that this helps trigger their feeding instinct

 

[dirtyreefer]

The clam is what started my previous racoon off eating, it does take a while to get them started and I fed him everything until someone told me to try the mussel.

Let us know how you make out

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

ive had raccoon butterflys that didnt eat for 7-8 days before. they started to pick at live rock after a couple days. then started to eat like pigs. i have had good luck with mysis, spirulina enriched brine, fine chopped mussel and krill eyeballs!

 

[Billybeau1]

DR, The mussels worked. Thanks a million. Now if I can only stop the trigger and sweetlips from eating it all before the butterfly gets some. Pigs I tell ya. They are all a bunch of pigs.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Good to hear!!
What kind of Trigger do you have? I was thinking of one last fish for my 240, The other large fish are a Hippo Tang [very small] and a Goldrim Tang. I thought about one of the less aggresive Triggers, I love the Bluethroat, but I don't want my Raccoon harrassed!

 

[dirtyreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6754672#post6754672 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
DR, The mussels worked. Thanks a million. Now if I can only stop the trigger and sweetlips from eating it all before the butterfly gets some. Pigs I tell ya. They are all a bunch of pigs.

Haha, I knew it! Glad to hear that it worked out. Now that you've enticed it to feed on prepared foods, you can probably gradually coax it into eating other things which are easier to feed.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6754704#post6754704 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
Good to hear!!
What kind of Trigger do you have? I was thinking of one last fish for my 240, The other large fish are a Hippo Tang [very small] and a Goldrim Tang. I thought about one of the less aggresive Triggers, I love the Bluethroat, but I don't want my Raccoon harrassed!

Try a pink tail. I've got one and he is not aggressive. Really nice colors too.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6754907#post6754907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blown63chevy
Try a pink tail. I've got one and he is not aggressive. Really nice colors too.

Thanx!!

 

[Billybeau1]

Kim, I've got a picasso (huma huma). He doesnt bother anyone and beautiful colors.

Thanks again all for your help

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6755379#post6755379 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Kim, I've got a picasso (huma huma). He doesnt bother anyone and beautiful colors.

Thanks again all for your help

Hmmmm, I may have to check into a Trigger! Thanks

 

[dirtyreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6754704#post6754704 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
I thought about one of the less aggresive Triggers, I love the Bluethroat, but I don't want my Raccoon harrassed!

The least aggressive triggers are the crosshatch, bluethroat, sargassum and the pink tail. These are the most "reef safe" ones as well if you plan or if you have any corals or inverts in your tank.

Since you have a 240, you shouldn't be too worried about harassment unless the trigger you put in (none of the ones listed above) is like 12" or something like that

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I don't know. I had a Huma Huma about 8" long. When he was in my 190 holding tank with a 6" red corris wrasse, he took a big chunk out of his side and eye and killed him. He was then moved to my sump until I could get rid of him. He didn't bother and of my frags that were growing out in the sump but would eat anything else I put in there.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

I suppose they will all eat cleaner shrimp?




Okay, I have totally hijacked this thread