Butterflyfishes

[limbssg]

Would like to know how many reefers are actually successful in keeping butterflyfishes. And also which are the one that didn't make it.

Started marine hobby 2-3yrs ago,

Currently still have: Copperband Butterfly(1yr plus) and Yellow Longnose(<1yr)

RIP: Pearlscale Butterfly, Long-Fin Bannerfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish and Copperband Butterfly

IME, they are mostly too timid to mix with larger Tangs and Angelfishes and will eventually die of starvation or cyanide poisoning. So far, my Yellow Longnose is more 'garang' than Copperband to tussle with the rest of the fishes during feeding.

p/s: just realised that it's better to post under "Reef fish" section.

[kareen]

I also have success in Copperband and yellow long nose butterfly fish before they are been scared till death by my daughter who love to bang at the walls to prevent them from eating.....

[manta]

facula butterfly (3 mths) - eats antything, will comptete for food with tangs and angelfishes. eats pellets, nori, mysis. it's colouring up. so i guess,getting stable.

pacific redfin butterfly small(3 wks) - not competing for food, observsed to be pecking at rocks otherwise may be eating some drifting food as i flood tank with nori and mysis once everyday, but only guess becos cant see it eating much. dont know how & surprised it can survive for so long. keeping my fingers crossed.

blackback butterfly small- got together with my pacific redfin, didnt survive, did not eat at all. tried cyclopeeze, mysis, etc.

latticed butterfly medium - didint eat, very stressed, then died.

the following died i n 3-4 days after battling it out with tangs (previously had a very aggressive purple tang, now no more)

pearscale butterfly large

yellow longnose butterflylarge

copperband butterfly large

really like butterfly fishes.

cheers

[patrick123]

I think butterfly should be kept in a species tank, unless you have a very large FOWLR. My blueface angel would wack the hell out of my butterfly until it.....

[weileong]

Your blue face is in your reef tank right?

You added butterfly to your reef tank?

Wow good life for the butterfly

[Archer82]

Hi Bros,

I don't know if this will help but just thought I'd state it down anyway. I recently acquired a black black butterfly from a reefer who didn't want it as it attacked his coral. When I brought it back I decided to train the fish ( he's a very small fish about an inch ) I placed it in a betta acrylic tank and fed him pellet food and prawn tied to a small piece of rock with a rubberband.

I noticed that when eating, the fish tends to move it's tail very fast before nipping at the prawn so if not anchored, the prawn moves away even before the fish has a chance to nip at it. After a couple of days, I proceeded to submerge the whole betta box into the water so that the fish has a chance to explore. This was done only when I was around to make sure none of my leathers, tubeworm and gonio were nipped at. True enough it did come out after a while....only to be chased for about 5 mins by my warrior damsels and swam back into the betta box itself.

Nowadays I leave the box submerged for longer periods, the fish swims around...seems more resilent to attacks or intimidation by other fishes and eats together with the rest during mealtimes. When threatened however it swims back into the betta box. Every night the fish is kept in the box, ie I push the box nearer to the surface so the the fish can't swim out... So far so good...yesterday it was nipping at the rocks and seems to spend longer times outside the box without fear.

Personally I feel it's about acclimatising the fish at it's own pace rather then ours..I used to release fishes at a much faster pace but feel this butterfly fish is an eye-opener.

Just thought this might be helpful

Cheers

Archer82

[gtrigger]

Hi Archer82,

Very enlightening indeed, thks for sharing. I had little luck in terms of keeping butterfly fishes. So far, just one, the long nose butterfly fish had survivie. 2 to 3 had perished. According to my obervations, most died from hunger, cynide or infections.

Would like to hear from the senior reefers of any successful stories.

[Guinness]

I also have success in Copperband and yellow long nose butterfly fish before they are been scared till death by my daughter who love to bang at the walls to prevent them from eating.....

Are you a dentist??????

[darrelf]

hey guys any advice on best thing to feed small butterflies inch and smaller

[jkleejk]

Would like to know how many reefers are actually successful in keeping butterflyfishes. And also which are the one that didn't make it.

Started marine hobby 2-3yrs ago,

Currently still have: Copperband Butterfly(1yr plus) and Yellow Longnose(<1yr)

RIP: Pearlscale Butterfly, Long-Fin Bannerfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish and Copperband Butterfly

IME, they are mostly too timid to mix with larger Tangs and Angelfishes and will eventually die of starvation or cyanide poisoning. So far, my Yellow Longnose is more 'garang' than Copperband to tussle with the rest of the fishes during feeding.

p/s: just realised that it's better to post under "Reef fish" section.

mine hv no luck at all..

i tried about 10 of them all are RIP..

mostly due to aggression by my large angels & tangs & starvation

recently i get smarter to try it again this time i make it 1st then i bought

a racoon & a pearlscale....

but it all dead after a week ...i suspect due to toxin poisoining when i started culture macroalgae...

conclusion BUTTERFLy fishes are v sensitive

[Cardinal Tetra]

I got myself a vagabond butterfly and it survived 2 weeks.

I started to eat frozen bloodworms immediately and constantly pecking on the rocks.

Then it died all of a sudden. I suspect cynide poisoning.