Reef Safe Butterflyfish?

[SteveJakubiec]

Anyone know of any, I'm thinking of adding a butterfly to a 120g, but need to know if any are reef safe, and what's their track record as far as eating, and any special requirements they have. Thanks!

-Steve

 

[Zaita]

No Butterfly is 100% Reef Safe. It's the luck of the draw. If you are going to purchase one, please consider this carefully. It's a lot of stress for a fish to be taken home, placed into a tank to only be yanked out a short-time later.

Personally, I have a CBB. I got it knowing full well it could decimate my corals. I was happy with that possibility and would've kept the fish either way. Fortunately, the CBB has not (that I have seen) picked any of my corals. It's always eagar to swim upto me when I have the net with it's food and is very interactive.

You'd have more luck finding a reef safe tang than a butterfly IMO (even though my CBB is safe and my hippo tang isn't).

Edit: The only prepared food my CBB accepts is brine. I feed enriched brine daily (2-3 cubes). Apart from that the CBB lives off zooplankton in my live rock (200lbs+)

 

[SteveJakubiec]

I was looking into the pyramid butterflies.

 

[AuroraDrvr]

Pyramid butterfly's are the only ones guaranteed to be 100% reef-safe.

 

[SteveJakubiec]

Both Yellow and Black, or only the yellow?

 

[AuroraDrvr]

Either. Both are planktivores.

 

[snorvich]

What he ^ said . . . I have seven of them.

 

[tcmfish]

Zoster or Pyramids. Are good. I hate that post no butterflies are reef safe when clearly those are. Also Chaetodon ulietensis is reportedly reef safe. Terry seigel and Greg Schimer have kept them and they were great pest removal fish (aptasia majanos) put didn't bother corals. If you feel risky you could try one.

 

[Ed Reef]

Heard the following have been keep successfully in the Reef tank before:

- Chaetodon Rafflesi
- Tinker Butterfly
- Vagabond Butterfly

But as mention in above post, you must be willing to take a risk on butterfly

 

[DNickell]

What have you been able to feed the pyramid butterflies?

 

[SteveJakubiec]

This is kind of directed at Snorvich, but anyone could answer.

Would it be possible to keep a Black and a Yellow Pyramind in the same tank? 120g. I saw on Live aquaria I could keep pairs, but I wanted to know if I could keep one of each.

 

[glassbox-design]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13112717#post13112717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ed Reef
Heard the following have been keep successfully in the Reef tank before:

- Chaetodon Rafflesi
- Tinker Butterfly
- Vagabond Butterfly

But as mention in above post, you must be willing to take a risk on butterfly

I would take the Rafflesi off of the list. Most of the Roaps complex have been kept successfully in reefs.

 

[snorvich]

Yes, you can mix and match, although I have not since I prefer the yellow ones. They eat most meaty kinds of things, mine inhale mysis, etc.

 

[snorvich]

Chaetodon ulietensis is noted by Live Aquaria as being NOT reef safe. YMMV

 

[SteveJakubiec]

You wouldn't have a pic would u?

 

[zemuron114]

although pyramids are probably the safest bet for a butterfly, they are also not 100%. I have known a few people who tried them in reefs and they started eating LPS and other meaty foods. This was mainly due to lack of feeding and poor diet since they weren't feeding enough. A well fed fish is much less likely to pick at corals then a hungry one.

 

[Chibils]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13113791#post13113791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zemuron114
although pyramids are probably the safest bet for a butterfly, they are also not 100%. I have known a few people who tried them in reefs and they started eating LPS and other meaty foods. This was mainly due to lack of feeding and poor diet since they weren't feeding enough. A well fed fish is much less likely to pick at corals then a hungry one.

The same can be said for tangs and almost any other reef-safe fish. But I would say that butterflies are probably more likely to engage in this kind of behavior than others. I've heard of Genicanthus angels eating coral before.

 

[ryshark]

What about FORCIPIGER LONGIROSTRIS? I think they are said to be reef safe. I just can't seem to find them anywhere.

 

[tcmfish]

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=73243

 

[zemuron114]

chibils - couldn't agree more although there aren't to many cases stating a yellow tang eating coral, it has happened! Butterflies are more likely to engage in eating corals. I would feed the pyramids the same as anthias - 3-5 times a day to keep them fat and occupied...