Saddleback BF in reef

JJIM

Member
I am starting to move some of my frags over to my FOWLER tank, thus making it a semi-reef tank (only because I don't plan to go heavy on the corals and more heavy on fish). With that note, what can I expect from my Saddleback Butterflyfish with respect to LPS (frogspawn, hammer, torch), zoas, candy canes, and montiporas.

Personal stories would be welcome along with facts I may have missed. I have read "With Caution" on sites such as LA, BZ, and in some books :reading:specifying more caution with SPS and less of an issue with LPS. I understand there will be some variability, but I am deciding on whether to either keep this beautiful fish or give it to a local reefer in efforts to keep my frags going into this tank.

Please advise! :bounce1:.
 
I tried one. He ate most every coral in the tank, eventually. Acros, acans, euphyllia, mushrooms, etc...
 
Mine hasn't shown any interest in the few corals I put in my tank, but the ulietensis goes after most corals I tried so I really didn't get a good test on the saddleback. I would give it a try slowly but be prepared to remove the fish if it starts on the corals (assuming you prefer the corals to it).
 
Thanks for the feedback you two!

I have seen my 4inch saddleback nip a bit, but is this out of curiosity or simply gaining an acquired taste :spin1: Time will tell I guess, its been less than a week so far?

I always read/hear the Yellow Pyramid, Yellow Longnose, some Copperbands, and Zoster? Is that about it for more "likely" to be reef compatable? Is there some general concensus on a 1-5 butterflyfish order of less likely to more of the genus?
 
I have some LR from an amazing reef that was full of Acroporas all bigger than a football. The guy got a Saddleback, and it turned all those huge corals in to lovely live rock ;)
He has a cat now, no tank anymore. I guess that fish was the straw that broke the camels back...
 
Thanks for the feedback you two!



I have seen my 4inch saddleback nip a bit, but is this out of curiosity or simply gaining an acquired taste :spin1: Time will tell I guess, its been less than a week so far?

I always read/hear the Yellow Pyramid, Yellow Longnose, some Copperbands, and Zoster? Is that about it for more "likely" to be reef compatable? Is there some general concensus on a 1-5 butterflyfish order of less likely to more of the genus?

I think your list identifies most of the best bets. Most of the rest of the butterflies are either worth a shot but likely to eat some coral or certain to eat coral. The butterflies in reefs thread indicates which fish went after which coral to some extent.

Keep your saddleback well fed to give yourself your best chance of success.
 
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