Safest butterflies for softies/zoas

[Stumped]

Is there such a thing? I'm thinking about getting an uprgade for a tank that is currently full of peaceful fish (Midas, Helfrich's,etc.), the usual range of zoas, palys, softies and some LPS. I know butterflies are notorious for their coral munching habits, but are there any out there that are less risky.

I really like these ones in particular:

Chaetodon burgessi
Chaetodon declivis
Chaetodon meyeri
Chaetodon melannotus
Chaetodon mitratus
Chaetodon xanthrusus
Prognathodes aculeatus

Would appreciate any sort of input on this and suggestions off that list are appreciated as well. If there aren't any at all that'll work it's back to the drawing board for me.

 

[Avi]

I've kept Copperband Butterflyfish extensively in a full reef which included many zoanthids. I never had even the slightest problem with any of the ones that I had in my reef. Mine didn't even ever eat any aiptasia in the tank, which some people have reported they would. In my experience, the only way to be certain to acquire a Copperband with a hope that it will survive in a reef or in a FO-tank is to place mysis shrimp in the tank where they are held in the fish-store. ONLY buy the Copperband if it takes the mysis shrimp VIGOROUSLY and AGGRESSIVELY, making sure that the shrimp is fully ingested and are not rejected after the fish attempt to swallow. Mere interest in the mysis shrimp is NOT a reason for optimism. Most Copperbands will starve to death but if the fish takes food the way I described, it would have an excellent chance of long-term survival in a reef or in a FO-tank.

I don't think you'd have much luck with any of the other Butterflyfish...the temptation to put them in a reef is formidable because of their beauty but most often they have very particular feeding requirements. Even those that would reliably leave zoanthids alone would usually require a steady diet of SPS to survive, so keeping them wouldn't be tenable on that score.

You might want to try a Pyramid Butterfly (Hemitaurichthys polylepis or zoster) which may be fine in a reef if fishfood is frequently available.

 

[elFloyd]

My longnose butterfly does fine with my corals... however YMMV.

 

[SDguy]

I can tell you my Chaetodon melannotus LOVES softies, all of them. I've had to remove them all

 

[tcmfish]

I don't think you'd have much luck with any of the other Butterflyfish...the temptation to put them in a reef is formidable because of their beauty but most often they have very particular feeding requirements. Even those that would reliably leave zoanthids alone would usually require a steady diet of SPS to survive, so keeping them wouldn't be tenable on that score.

You might want to try a Pyramid Butterfly (Hemitaurichthys polylepis or zoster) which may be fine in a reef if fishfood is frequently available.

Many butteflyfish can be kept in a reef, but it depends what kind of reef and which fish is being considered.

Also why are people skeptical about pyramid and zoster butterflyfish? They ARE reef safe!

Now for this situation, LPS are probably going to get eaten and zoas and palys would probably be on the menu too. Your best bet with softies would be with the true soft corals like toadstools and kenya tree corals and colt corals, those types. But your best bets off that list would be the Chaetodon burgessi, Chaetodon declivis, Chaetodon mitratus, and Prognathodes aculeatus. The pearlscale and blackback will likely try most any coral, and the meyeri will likely not try any prepared foods and are really not suited for captivity yet.

 

[Dtronic]

Also why are people skeptical about pyramid and zoster butterflyfish? They ARE reef safe!

This person would disagree. He has a trio of pyramids.



http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1703142&page=2

 

[coralmojo]

I have a Klein's in my 135 mixed reef...keeps aiptasia gone, eats whatever I feed, will nip at corals but well worth the housekeeping...peaceful and active...DrMerle

 

[Big E]

I can tell you my Chaetodon melannotus LOVES softies, all of them. I've had to remove them all

Yep, melannotus are big time soft coral eaters........I crossed them off my list of BF's a long time ago because softies are the way to go with most Chaetodons from shallow waters.

Like Tim mentioned it depends on the corals & the butterfly species. I've seen people keep the deep water species in full reefs which is most of your list.

xanthurus might be okay if you don't have Sps...........forget meyeri, specialized sps eater.

 

[inktomi]

You might also look at C. tinkeri - it's one of the more "reef safe" butterflyfish as well. It'll probably nibble and pick, but supposedly it'll more or less leave things alone.

If you want, I'll report back after I get my pair from the divers den. I have everything from SPS to Acans to Zoos and GSP, so if they voraciously eat anything I'll probably have it in there somewhere. Live aquaria has been holding my pair due to a small sore on one of them - nursing it back to health before shipping.

 

[tcmfish]

This person would disagree. He has a trio of pyramids.



http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1703142&page=2

If he disagrees why are they still in the tank, and why do his corals still look awesome? From the pics he still has good polyp extension, and also try keeping some other butterfly, like a raccoon or three, in with that mix of corals, some might not be there the next morning...

Also, check this link: http://glassbox-design.com/2009/polyp-nipping-and-sps-its-only-natural/

Like I said it depends on the fish and type of coral trying to be kept, zoas and LPS just aren't a good mix with most butterflyfish or angelfish.

 

[teambutterfield]

If he disagrees why are they still in the tank, and why do his corals still look awesome? From the pics he still has good polyp extension, and also try keeping some other butterfly, like a raccoon or three, in with that mix of corals, some might not be there the next morning...

Also, check this link: http://glassbox-design.com/2009/polyp-nipping-and-sps-its-only-natural/

Like I said it depends on the fish and type of coral trying to be kept, zoas and LPS just aren't a good mix with most butterflyfish or angelfish.

Mine finished up all my expensive zoa, paly. Nips on plum crazy, couple more stags. I thought they were reef safe. However, I guess not every single pyramid. I only have one left now, so far he is not as bad as the previous 2 on nipping.

 

[Stumped]

I've kept Copperband Butterflyfish extensively in a full reef which included many zoanthids. I never had even the slightest problem with any of the ones that I had in my reef.

I was thinking about Copperbands, but their reputation was putting me off a bit. I'd prefer not to have a fish wither away in my care, but the procedure you outlined for picking a healthy one seems like it would probably help a lot with having success.

Now for this situation, LPS are probably going to get eaten and zoas and palys would probably be on the menu too. Your best bet with softies would be with the true soft corals like toadstools and kenya tree corals and colt corals, those types. But your best bets off that list would be the Chaetodon burgessi, Chaetodon declivis, Chaetodon mitratus, and Prognathodes aculeatus.

I know this might be too subjective, but are all of those about the same risk, or is any one better than the others. The only reason I ask is because those would be my personal top 4 choices so it's tempting to see those might be my best bets.

You might also look at C. tinkeri - it's one of the more "reef safe" butterflyfish as well. It'll probably nibble and pick, but supposedly it'll more or less leave things alone.

If you want, I'll report back after I get my pair from the divers den. I have everything from SPS to Acans to Zoos and GSP, so if they voraciously eat anything I'll probably have it in there somewhere. Live aquaria has been holding my pair due to a small sore on one of them - nursing it back to health before shipping.

I notice I left that one off my list and it should've been on there. I would love to hear back on your experience with them. Best of luck with them I hope they have a speedy recovery.

I appreciate all the feedback so far. I also want to add, it's not that I'd be devastated if they happened to eat/pick at my coral. I just would prefer not to go down that route at all because it'd defeat the purpose of this potential upgrade.

 

[tcmfish]

Mine finished up all my expensive zoa, paly. Nips on plum crazy, couple more stags. I thought they were reef safe. However, I guess not every single pyramid. I only have one left now, so far he is not as bad as the previous 2 on nipping.

How much are you feeding? Maybe the fish isn't getting enough to eat.

 

[tcmfish]

I was thinking about Copperbands, but their reputation was putting me off a bit. I'd prefer not to have a fish wither away in my care, but the procedure you outlined for picking a healthy one seems like it would probably help a lot with having success.



I know this might be too subjective, but are all of those about the same risk, or is any one better than the others. The only reason I ask is because those would be my personal top 4 choices so it's tempting to see those might be my best bets.



I notice I left that one off my list and it should've been on there. I would love to hear back on your experience with them. Best of luck with them I hope they have a speedy recovery.

I appreciate all the feedback so far. I also want to add, it's not that I'd be devastated if they happened to eat/pick at my coral. I just would prefer not to go down that route at all because it'd defeat the purpose of this potential upgrade.

Stumped with your coral list I would probably only try a pyramid or a zoster.

 

[rick88]

while your on the subject of softie and lps safe fish, which butterflys do best with sps, the coperband at one of my LFS eats polyps like crazy (prob cuz they dont feed him or somthing though)

 

[Stumped]

Stumped with your coral list I would probably only try a pyramid or a zoster.

This is probably a dumb question, but are pyramids much better looking in person or are they fairly well represented by pictures. They are kind of bland looking for my tastes from what I've seen. Unfortunately I've never seen them stocked at any of the LFS I frequent so I'd have to order one. I'm not really crazy about the look of the zoster. From their photos they appear to be blackish brown and white and not all that 'sharp' of a fish if you know what I mean. Just my personal tastes though obviously. Thanks for the input so far.

 

[tcmfish]

I think both fish are represented well by photos IMO. The zoster is a blackish fish with a white band and the pyramid has a brown face, with a white pyramid on a yellow background. BUT I think although they are the most flashy or gaudy fish, and they may not be the first fish to catch your eye, they are awesome fish when kept in a group and add a different shape and a decent size to any tank. IMO you need a few of them to get the full effect. I think this is a great photo of a pyramid:

http://www.ryanphotographic.com/images/JPEGS/Hemitaurichthys polylepis Pyramid butterflyfish.jpg

 

[itachi]

to add to it to of course You experience may very since it's usually dependent on the fish...
but my Chaetodon declivis loves zoanthids not to mention anything that looks close to a stylophora or poccilapora

 

[Stumped]

I think both fish are represented well by photos IMO. The zoster is a blackish fish with a white band and the pyramid has a brown face, with a white pyramid on a yellow background. BUT I think although they are the most flashy or gaudy fish, and they may not be the first fish to catch your eye, they are awesome fish when kept in a group and add a different shape and a decent size to any tank. IMO you need a few of them to get the full effect.

Well that's a better picture of the pyramid than the ones I had seen before, but if I'd really need a group to get the full effect, I definitely can't go with them either. Unless I'm way off on their size that is. Realistically I'd be looking at a 65-90g tank at most which I'm sure would be okay with one, but not any more than that.

to add to it to of course You experience may very since it's usually dependent on the fish...
but my Chaetodon declivis loves zoanthids not to mention anything that looks close to a stylophora or poccilapora

Well it sounds like it's a pretty resounding no to this idea. I guess I'll have to either squash the potential upgrade or go in another direction. Anyone have any suggestions that would fit my criteria?

I considered the Centropyge sp. angels, but the four I prefer are probably the least realistic out of all of them:

Centropyge multicolor
Centropyge flavissima
Centropyge multifasciatus
Centropyge potteri

It's to my understanding that the first two are two of the worst for coral nipping and the last two are two of the more difficult to keep.

 

[rick88]

i am going to keep a multicolor in my sps system they dont sound to bad on corals and honestly if well fed you can get away with alot of " not reef safe fish". It is also just an individual fish thing, some will and some wont bother your corals, about the way some people are vegetarians and some like meat, the choice is always there and it is up the individual animal to choose. im also considering a multi-barred andgel (paracentropyge multifasciata) pending on whether it gets along with the multicolor or not