Sports Girl
In Memoriam
Are there any reef safe butterflies besides copperband? Thanks for any info...
Reef Safe Butterflies?
- Thread starter Sports Girl
- Start date
The following are taken from an article by Charles Delbeek. These are his experiences and could vary from tank to tank.
Racoon Butterfly: started with small {1- 1 1/2in.} and got eating prepared foods. Kept with Acropora, Anacropora, Euphyllia, Goniopora, Sarcophyton along with others with no problems.
Tinkers: once acclimated will eat most foods. Can pick at zoanthids, wire and black corals. Kept with Montipora, Acropora, and Pavona with no problems.
Millet seed: Been kept with Hawaiian corals with no problems. Probably a good bet.
Long nose Butterfly {Forcipiger flavissimas}: Been kept with Acropora, Montipora capita, Pavona, and Porites with no problems. Reports of them going after Trachyphyllia.
True Long Nose {Focipiger longirostris}: Similar feeding habits as previous fish, but might be harder to get to eat prepared foods. Been kept with Porites and Pocillopora with no problems.
Schooling bannerfish{Heniochus dipreutes}: Been kept with Porites, Pocillopora, Palythoa, and Sinularia abrupta with no problems.
Sigular Bannerfish {H. singularus}: Stay away from this fish because it will eat about any coral you can think of.
Good Luck!!
Racoon Butterfly: started with small {1- 1 1/2in.} and got eating prepared foods. Kept with Acropora, Anacropora, Euphyllia, Goniopora, Sarcophyton along with others with no problems.
Tinkers: once acclimated will eat most foods. Can pick at zoanthids, wire and black corals. Kept with Montipora, Acropora, and Pavona with no problems.
Millet seed: Been kept with Hawaiian corals with no problems. Probably a good bet.
Long nose Butterfly {Forcipiger flavissimas}: Been kept with Acropora, Montipora capita, Pavona, and Porites with no problems. Reports of them going after Trachyphyllia.
True Long Nose {Focipiger longirostris}: Similar feeding habits as previous fish, but might be harder to get to eat prepared foods. Been kept with Porites and Pocillopora with no problems.
Schooling bannerfish{Heniochus dipreutes}: Been kept with Porites, Pocillopora, Palythoa, and Sinularia abrupta with no problems.
Sigular Bannerfish {H. singularus}: Stay away from this fish because it will eat about any coral you can think of.
Good Luck!!
dirtyreefer
New member
Pyramid and Copperband are probably the two I would trust the most
I have a long nose butterfly for two years in a 75 gallon reef tank with many sps, softies, lps, xenias and clams. He has never so much as pecked at a coral. Of course each individual is unique and a different fish of the same species may exhibit very different behaviors.
BTTRFLYGRL
New member
I tried to place some corals in w/ my Raccoon and he nearly destroyed them...had to move them into their own tank [corals]
smiller
Premium Member
Exactly. My experience for the month that I tried one was no problem with corals, but when it discovered clams for dinner it was all over. My clams closed up after a few days, so I removed the butterfly. I wish my experience would have been like yours. They are a very hearty and beautiful fish. Worth the try IMO of you can catch it once you put it in your reef. Make sure you get the small LN, not the large for a 60 gallon.
Sports Girl
In Memoriam
Thanks to everybody for their info and experience so far.
wayne in norway
New member
Kleinii's can be good, can be bad, depending on location. Ditto mertensiis - softies, stars are at the greatest risk
