Yellow longnose butterfly
- Thread starter ConnorG
- Start date
brettinteriors
New member
I can keep sps, nps, Lps, anthias, tangs, cardinals, and everything in between. I have yet to keep a butterfly for more than three months. I had a copperband eating out of my hand. One morning Mia. As far as longnose and coral, most likely ok if sps only. Big risk with others. Still a risk with sps. Kinda like angels.
mattsilvester
Team RC
I had a YLNB in my system for a few months - no coral nipping issues. Generally they are reputed to be reasonably hardy - mine was eating well etc. then one day, MIA..... never to be seen again. Don't know why - I am not a noob, tank conditions are good enough for full sps polyp extensions, etc. - a mystery death.
I had tried this fish 3 times, all without luck. Two never ate and the other one was doing fine but did not pass the quarintine. The books that I have read say they are hardy, but I have had different experiences, they are difficult to get to eat and very easy to get sick. The two that were on the DT didnt touch anything (zoas and softies).
Perched Urchin
New member
I have a YLN in my LPS/polyp dominated reef. It has been in the DT for 2 months. YLN have always been one of my favorite fish.
I QTed for 8 weeks and in that time he ate very well, although no prepared foods. This is not an issue for me, as I feed my tank primarily home-made "fish mash" with many varieties of krill, mysis, cyclopeze, algaes, clams, oysters, etc. I also proactively treated with prazipro and maracyn-2 during QT.
I think there are a few challenges with the fish which can make it more difficult to keep than some of the retailers say. In general, I think it is a hearty fish; however, it seems to be a fish that can succumb to bullying from other fish and it isn't as adept at eating from the water column as many other fish. For these reasons, the tankmates that are kept with it need to be considered. Mine will eat from the water column, but it doesn't eat nearly as fast as my wrasses, midas blenny, hawkfish, etc.
Because this isn't a fish that really ever "fattens up" even when in good health, if it is bullied or just doesn't get enough food because its tankmates beat it to the food, I think the YLN will be a fish that will continue to be more challenging to keep than a lot of sites state.
I QTed for 8 weeks and in that time he ate very well, although no prepared foods. This is not an issue for me, as I feed my tank primarily home-made "fish mash" with many varieties of krill, mysis, cyclopeze, algaes, clams, oysters, etc. I also proactively treated with prazipro and maracyn-2 during QT.
I think there are a few challenges with the fish which can make it more difficult to keep than some of the retailers say. In general, I think it is a hearty fish; however, it seems to be a fish that can succumb to bullying from other fish and it isn't as adept at eating from the water column as many other fish. For these reasons, the tankmates that are kept with it need to be considered. Mine will eat from the water column, but it doesn't eat nearly as fast as my wrasses, midas blenny, hawkfish, etc.
Because this isn't a fish that really ever "fattens up" even when in good health, if it is bullied or just doesn't get enough food because its tankmates beat it to the food, I think the YLN will be a fish that will continue to be more challenging to keep than a lot of sites state.
one clownfish
Member
I've had a YLN for about 2 years in my DT. He eats everything, small pellets, flake and some krill/squid that I feed the angelfish but mostly the pods off the LR 1st thing in the morning. I have a tank full of tangs and an Emp. Angel. The YLN can hold his own with anything in my tank, even my 9" Sohal and 6" Emp. I've never had a clam but when a sail gets flipped over its done. I'm sure it would be the same way if I were to add a clam. He will stay above the snail and peck at it until I flip it back over. I don't have much for soft coral anymore but before the angelfish ate it all, I never seen him peck at anything.
Dakota Reef
New member
I've kept two. First one for over 7 years and the current one has been in the tank for the last two-plus years along with a Copperband. Both have been model citizens in my tank that includes SPS, a large variety of soft corals, and a few LPS.
Here's a short video for you.
[URL="<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/20onkvsv91A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/URL]
I've found them to be hardy as long as you take care to feed them in a way that allows them to feed naturally. Just dumping in pellets or expecting them to compete for food in the water column with other fish generally won't work long term.
Here's a short video for you.
[URL="<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/20onkvsv91A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/URL]
I've found them to be hardy as long as you take care to feed them in a way that allows them to feed naturally. Just dumping in pellets or expecting them to compete for food in the water column with other fish generally won't work long term.
PintoSeahorse
New member
OMG WOW to the tank in the post above me. D8
Dakota Reef
New member
Thanks Pinto and RPJ. The 270 was set up five years ago to give my original Longnose Butterfly an ideal home as it was my favorite fish.
beachbreak
New member
Dr Colliebreath
New member
I agree with Dakota Reef and Perched Urchin on yln and cbbs not being good at eating from the water column. They won't rush around the tank snapping up every morsel they can find, but instead they just cruise around eating leisurely.
I feed the other fish first with foods that my yln and cbb won't eat - NLS pellets, flakes, and pieces of nori - to fill them up and make them less aggressive at chasing food. Then, I put in some food that the yln and cbb will eat (the other fish eat it also), let them feed, put some more in when the yln and cbb return to the spot where I feed the fish, and repeat a couple of times. This requires you to feed the tank more heavily than you might otherwise feed.
I feed the other fish first with foods that my yln and cbb won't eat - NLS pellets, flakes, and pieces of nori - to fill them up and make them less aggressive at chasing food. Then, I put in some food that the yln and cbb will eat (the other fish eat it also), let them feed, put some more in when the yln and cbb return to the spot where I feed the fish, and repeat a couple of times. This requires you to feed the tank more heavily than you might otherwise feed.
how come the red velvet wrasse (one of my favorites) is not listed in your signature?
mattsilvester
Team RC
Not wishing to hijack - but that's a sweet tank you have there Dakota. Got a tank build somewhere?
He is not shy.
djkms
Fish Freak
This is Hummer:
He is probably the most active fish in my tank. He cruises around all day long and eats everything I feed the tank including PE Mysis, Rods, NLS pellets, nori, etc. He is not shy and eats with gusto.
I have hummer in with SPS, LPS, zoas, clams, cocoworms, feather dusters, acans, etc. He has not nipped at one coral or invert.
Awesome fish and highly under rated and under appreciated!!
He is probably the most active fish in my tank. He cruises around all day long and eats everything I feed the tank including PE Mysis, Rods, NLS pellets, nori, etc. He is not shy and eats with gusto.
I have hummer in with SPS, LPS, zoas, clams, cocoworms, feather dusters, acans, etc. He has not nipped at one coral or invert.
Awesome fish and highly under rated and under appreciated!!
Dakota Reef
New member
Beachbreak: I used to use a DIY acrylic tube with holes drilled in it to feed my butterflies. Now I've switched to a modified feeding grid. Its one of those Ocean Nutrition ones and I attach it to the top of my tank and put a couple of caps on it. That way I can feed chunky foods like Roggers food or frozen slices of shrimp or scallop.
The feeder slips onto the eurobrace of my tank.
As you can see the Copperband and Longnose Butterfly get the first crack at food.
It seems to be working as both fish have thrived. I agree djkms, a great fish. I was suprised when this one started eating nori. The first one I had did not.
Albano: The Red Velvet Fairy is a favorite of mine too. Unfortunately I ran out of room in my signature.
MattSylvester: Sorry, I started a build thread many years ago but haven't had time to update it. I'd have to look for a link.
The feeder slips onto the eurobrace of my tank.
As you can see the Copperband and Longnose Butterfly get the first crack at food.
It seems to be working as both fish have thrived. I agree djkms, a great fish. I was suprised when this one started eating nori. The first one I had did not.
Albano: The Red Velvet Fairy is a favorite of mine too. Unfortunately I ran out of room in my signature.
MattSylvester: Sorry, I started a build thread many years ago but haven't had time to update it. I'd have to look for a link.
