[URGENT] Spotfin Butterflyfish Diet

[ChameleonNYSea]

Hey all,

I added a spotfin butterflyfish to my 75 gallon tank last week. He hasn't really been eating the foods I've been offering to him. It seems as if he's picking at the copepods on the rocks, but that isn't enough to subsist him since he is seriously thinning out. Has anyone had any luck keeping these guys before? What have you trained them to eat?

It may be important to note that I caught this guy freediving off of the New Jersey coast. Don't know if it is stress or something, but when I add food, he looks at it with interest, but then continues swimming on.

Any help you could give would be much appreciated.

We previously caught these same butterflyfish in previous years, and they have survived on a diet of brine shrimp. Don't know why this one isn't accepting the food though.

Thanks again.

 

[Joshua I.]

if the food is frozen try using live.

 

[suta4242]

Haven't kept that particular fish but live blackworms and fresh oyster are pretty popular with many butterflys.

HTH
:wave:

 

[ReefTeacher]

I have never kept a spotfin, but I have had a lot of butterflies over the years. Spotfins are known to be tough, but the fact that you caught him yourself works in your favor: he was not starved at the wholesalers for a week!

As suggested, live blackworms are often a good choice for butterflies. I also highly recommend LRS fish frenzy on an algae clip where he can discover it and graze. I have also found that a live clams from the grocery store to be a favorite. I think they work better than oysters myself, maybe a stronger odor. You have access to the Jersey Shore? Try a steamer just cut open; so much easier to work with than a quahog. If he is picking at the rock, that means his metabolism is working.

As I said, I do not have experience with this species, but some are strongly attracted to algae; you might try some. Also live brine can teach benthic feeders to move to the water column.

Let us know how this all works out.

 

[ChameleonNYSea]

Update: today I dropped in a cube of frozen brine, as well as prepared flakes. He showed interest in all of the food that was dropped in, but did not eat any. He sampled two pieces of brine (one in the water column, one that settled on the rock). I will drop in a mussel tomorrow, and depending if I am able to get to the LFS (nearest is 40+ mins away) I will try and get some worms.

 

[ChameleonNYSea]

When we go to the Jersey shore, I usually pick up a few mussels, pop them in ziplock bags, and then put them in the freezer. Today I defrosted one in some tank water, opened it, cleaned it (the jersey water isn't exactly the purest), and then dropped it in. He's been hovering around it for the past 4 hours, defending it from the other tank inhabitants, and occasionally picking at it. It looks as if he's gonna make it.

 

[ackee]

Live blackworms. Absolutely, positively. I've caught many of these BFs in Barnegat Bay and blackworms are indispensable for small Spotfins. I've raised a couple to full size, about 5 inches. When they get larger they eat almost anything.