A Butterfly in my Reef!?

[fish freak2012]

Hello, some of you may have read my post about reef safe butterflies. And i have been calling around to some local stores to see which butterfly they would recomend and i was told a Copper Banded would be my best choice. But i have had them in my past aquarium and they are very hard to care for. So i was wondering if a Thread fin butterfly fish would be ok for my reef? I have researched that they eat stone corals(which i have)but i have found out that they are more easy to take care of than the Copper Banded.Does anyone have any advice. I would really like a butterfly!

thanks~Dex

 

[auroradrvr]

Copperbands often eat corals, as do Threadfins.
Looks for a Zoster's or Pyramid Butterflyfish. They are reef safe.

 

[fish freak2012]

Thanks again AuroraDrvr. But i did a google image search on them, and they arnt very cool looking(sad to say). i was looking for a show piece for my tank. maybe i will have to look at a different type of fish

hopefully not. i will keep looking!

 

[jayson417]

Originally Posted by Fish Freak2012
http:///forum/post/3051868
Thanks again AuroraDrvr. But i did a google image search on them, and they arnt very cool looking(sad to say). i was looking for a show piece for my tank. maybe i will have to look at a different type of fish

hopefully not. i will keep looking!

Foxface perhaps?
or a Lunare Wrasse?

 

[spanko]

Yellow Pyramid Butterfly Hemitaurichthys polylepis

Reef Compatibility: Generally reef safe! Safer than copperbands, etc.
according to aquacon

 

[fish freak2012]

Sorry Jayson417 but i already have a 6 line. and as for the fox face i heard they where venomous. I would be very timid to put my hands in my tank.

 

[spanko]

Also from wet web media
"Habitat:
First and foremost the system should be as large as possible. These Butterflies live on the outer reef margin and are free-ranging fishes, covering large areas. Also, they need physical cover to feel secure. Hemitaurichthys B/Fs are quick to duck into coral, rock hideaways in the wild; they need to feel they can do the same in your system.
There are many varieties of butterflies you will find offered to the hobbyist; with a huge range of survivability, good to doomed. Not only this proviso should be in effect when making livestock selections; what is available at the dealers is not all "the fish in the sea"; not by a very long shot. The butterflies of the genus Hemitaurichthys are one case in point; they're hardy zooplankton feeders whose only "special" requirement is a suitably large habitat."

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Fish Freak2012
http:///forum/post/3051877
Sorry Jayson417 but i already have a 6 line. and as for the fox face i heard they where venomous. I would be very timid to put my hands in my tank.
Foxface Siganus unimaculatus venom is no more hurtful or dangerous than a bee sting, and any I have had really do avoid your hands when in the tank. as with anything just a need to be aware of them when you are in the tank, but more importantly if you are skittish wear reef gloves.

 

[fish freak2012]

ok thanks spanko, so what you are trying to tell me is that butterflies need good hiding places to retreat to when frightened? thanks for the info.

 

[spanko]

That the pyramid pictured and talked about are'
The most reef safe butterfly
They need large tanks
The need places to hide
They are primarily zooplankton feeders

 

[fish freak2012]

hey thanks for the rapid replys you have been one of the most helpful people to me today. could you recommend a different somewhat "cooler" fish?

 

[spanko]

Sure you could probably get a number of people to do that if you tell us about your system how big, other inhabitants, flitration.

 

[fish freak2012]

ok sorry Blonde moment

well its a 125 gallon mixed reef, my brother posted pix of it in the photogrophy section(mixed reef with new corals) i have a yellow tang, 6 line, diamond goby, LMB, dainty damsel,3 stripe damsel, 1 peppermint shrimp, and a mixture of hard and soft corals o and a brittle star and a serpent star. As for filtration i have a protien skimmer(not sure what kind) a fuge and bio balls. and about 200 lbs of LR.

 

[spanko]

Sounds nice. Another tang? A nice flasher wrasse? I have a mystery wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus), a little expensive but very nice. or look at some of the other wrasses.

 

[fish freak2012]

i thought i could only have one wrasse. i already have a 6 line.

 

[spanko]

I don't think another in that size tank would be a problem with a 6-line

 

[fish are good]

hello i am fishfreaks brother and we were thinking a blue hippo tang would this work???

 

[fish freak2012]

well i may consider another wrasse. i dont want to overuse your knowledge, but every fish i like is either not reef safe of has some other problem, so i have decided to have others tell me their ideas. so could you name some other fish that might be ok. (It may sound like i cannot think on my own but like i said earlier all the fish i like have problems. )

 

[my obsession]

I love my foxface. Him and my sailfin are the first ones to race to my hand at feeding time.

 

[tscuda]

I 2nd the Fox Face. They're not a mean fish that will try to sting you. It's only a defence.I hand feed mine sometimes without any fear. As for the Hippo. They're a nice looking fish but quite shy. Both of mine stay hid for the most part.