Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish pairing

[Roman120G]

Hi

have been web surfing for a while, but have not found any info on sexing Pyramid Butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis)

some places like LA mentions that They may be kept singly, in pairs or small numbers.

I have 120g plus 50g sump and trying to keep fish in pairs or small groups like: 4 dispar anthias, 4 pj Cardinalfish, 2 perc clowns, 2 purple firefish, 2 bicolor blennies.

so, would prefer to have 2 of them. But if 3 would behave/act better, then will go with 3.

as for the future additions from the 'big size fish' - powder blue tang and yellow tang.

please, share your thoughts or experience on how to pair YPB.

thank you in advance

 

[Alberta-newb]

Tagging along on this one as well. Externally there seems to be no way to sex them. I have a pair currently in QT. I decided to go for it as they were together as a pair at the LFS and showed no aggression towards each other. Now in the small (25 gal) QT they are still very calm.

I decided to go with a pair after doing a little research. One author (Professor Ellen Thaler, Butterflyfishes and their aquarium maintenance, Coral Nov/Dec 2009) stated "Because butterflyfishes live in pairs or groups on the reef, there is no way that keeping them singly can be regarded as correct."

In terms of sexing, she states that it is thought butterflyfishes are sequential hermaphrodites. Her own observations of H. polyepis (yellow pyramids) suggest age-dependent sex change.

If you get some, be prepared, I found they are always hungry so I feed up to 10 times a day as small portions.

Beautiful peaceful fish

Francis

 

[Ambition]

I'm not sure about pyramid butterflies, but most butterfly species are gonochoristic (they won't change sex and are male or female when they reach settlement). Pyramid butterflyfish aren't that aggressive, so I don't think you'll have too much of an issue getting two of them to coexist.

Also, the powder blue tang is going to need a bigger tank than a 120.