What is this fish on DD?

O

OneArmedBandit

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dd_fish_031010.jpg

I'd like to know what this is, it's no longer in the for sale section, can anybody pull up the page that shows it sold? Thanks. -Steve
 
These guys are beautiful, but based on the description they'd likely destroy any reef, and I question how well they could be sustained on mysis and other prepared foods.

Anyone have any experience? Also, who has been buying these and what types of tanks will they be going into?
 
Oh, and for those of you that don't know, it is an obligate corallivore, and LA says it is eating frozen mysis very well.
 
Thanks for the ID gyus, I thought it may have been a C. Flavirostris but didn't think it looked like the pic I've seen before. The coloring on that fish is great. From what I've read it is definately a poor choice for aquariums, especially since it's a coralivore... -Steve
 
Interesting that they say it only eats corals. I thought this was one of those butterflies that does in fact eat all sorts of sessile inverts, but, like so many Atlantic species, just doesn't fare well in captivity.
 
SDguy said:
Interesting that they say it only eats corals. I thought this was one of those butterflies that does in fact eat all sorts of sessile inverts, but, like so many Atlantic species, just doesn't fare well in captivity.
Click to expand...

I saw that, they call it a "corallivore." So whoever bought this fish has to now buy coral to feed it? That sounds expensive. DD says it is eating mysis too though.
 
I've kept these before - a local importer used to get them in shipments from New Caledonia. They aren't the sturdiest of butterflies, but they are definately not as obligate of a corallivore as say, baronessa group.

I would agree with Peter - they are very similar in hardiness to say a C. striatus - you know, they will feed, but never with much gusto, and to have one live really long was unusual for us (back in the 1980's).

Jay
 
Jay, that is interesting, and sort of what I expected. It's hard to keep a fish thriving on something different than their natural diet in the long term. It'll be interesting to see how these guys do given all of the new foods on the market since the 80's (sounds like this is the last time they were attempted in captivity?).

Ok, so who bought them? Please keep us updated.
 
LA has sold quite of few corallivores that were eating mysis. You need to get any butterfly eating foods meatier than mysis to have any long term success.

I'm curious what's happened to most of those fish they sold. I'd put the Dusky BF in the same category as the Rainford..........will eat other food but still very tough to keep.
 
Aquarium Of The Pacific has one in the same tank as the clipperton angel. I wonder how long they've had it (I know it's been there a while)?
 
I'm a fan of Butterflies to the point of dedicating my 150 to them. I curently have a Lemon, a Burgess and a Copperband, all eat mysis, clam and live blackworms very well, I guess I'm lucky to have a top notch LFS near by who always has live blackworms. The Lemon and Burgess eat NLS pellets and Formula 1 flake too. I'm looking to add a couple more "unique" Butterflies to the mix, I'd love to find a Bluestripe (C. Fremblii)... -Steve
 
I've kept two of these (one currently for about 1 year). I was inspired to get the first after I saw one in an aquarium in a mall in Las Vegas where it was fat and happy. I kept the current one in my reef where it was a model citizen until one day it developed a taste for Euphyllia sp. It is 5+ inches. It NEVER so much as nipped at a piece of SPS. They are from South Pacific areas verging on temperate reefs like New Caledonia, Southern Australia and Lord Howe Island. I have pictures of some from a trip I took to the Cook Islands in 2003. My experience is, of course, anecdotal. Both started feeding after 2-3 weeks - I can see how a small one might waste away until it learns what to eat. The first was lost to a power failure. My current one is awaiting final approval to go to my local zoo. Pictures soon...
 
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