Butterfly in a reef?

[gcgrad]

I understand that butterfly fish in general are not considered reef safe. With that said I have read that the Orange Butterflyfish (Sunburst) is listed as reef with caution. Is this the most reef friendly butterfly out there? Just curious!

 

[tangs rule]

The only butterfly fish I've maintained in a reef (more than once) is the longnose butterfly - Forcipiger longirostris or F. flavissimus - both of which will likely ignore all corals/inverts/clam mantles - if kept fed well/large enough tank to supply some natural food (pods/scuds). Established tank.....I'd suggest either for a reef.
The copperband butterfly is also reportedly pretty reef safe. However most of the rest of the family are coral/zoanthid/anemone/mushroom eaters and cannot be trusted in the home reef environment. And sadly some of the most striking and pretty butterfly fishes are also the most destructive to a home reef - and hard to keep longterm. I've no exp. with the species mentioned - but the butterfly family contains the most reef destructive fishes known, aside from some parrot fishes. Many butterflies dine on sps or lps exclusively.