Heniochus Butterfly ne experience?

[reef_dart21]

im thinking of getting a Heniochus Butterfly but can find NOTHING on this species!!! has any one have or had one of these? are they hard? will thye tolerate 5 -10 nitrate? are the invert freindly? will they eat my coral?
thx for the help and i was gonna get one form this website ^_^ never had a problem here

 

[sepulatian]

They are a fairly hardy species of butterfly. They do prefer to school, if you have a large tank, a 180 or so, then get three. They will school with other fish that will let them as well while they are young. They grow to about seven inches. They do not bother inverts. Be sure to get Heniochus diphreutes rather than H. acuminatus which will eat corals. H. diphreutes looks slightly different. The black stripe by the tail comes right down to the middle of the anal fin. Here is a pic of H. diphreutes. Sorry the camera wasn't that great.

 

[reef_dart21]

now breeding wise......................are they like a clown fish? that if you get a pair one will become more dominate?

 

[reef_dart21]

it will be in my 55 gallon for about a year and then im upgrading to a huge 100 gallon will he be alright with 2 in a 55 for a year or no?

 

[al mc]

These guys get fairly large. You would be best to wait to set up the 100+ gallon tank before getting any, especially more than one.

 

[revstu]

I recieved a shipment of butterfly fish from saltwater fish five days ago. They include a Heniochus, Racoon, Threadfin, Longnose and Copperband. They are the first fish in a cycled 220 FOWLR. They arrived in great condition and are all eating and healthy. The Heniochus is a very active swimmer and eats everything I have fed except for flakes. I also have a fire shrimp which cleans the butterflys. I have some zenia which I transplanted from my reef tank that the racoon picks at as well as some button polyps and a couple small mushrooms. The copperband eats mysis, brine shrimp, mussel and frozen shrimp. They all swim together with no aggression towards each other. I have 200 pounds of live rock. From what I have observed so far I would highly recommend the Heniochus as long as you have a good size tank.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Reef_Dart21
http:///forum/post/2468739
it will be in my 55 gallon for about a year and then im upgrading to a huge 100 gallon will he be alright with 2 in a 55 for a year or no?
Do not get one until you have the larger tank. As with any butterfly, they are sensitive to water conditions and need mature rock. They cannot take fluctuations. You cannot have two in a 100 gallon, let alone a 55. Again, wait until the larger tank is ready.
Originally Posted by revstu
http:///forum/post/2468808
I recieved a shipment of butterfly fish from saltwater fish five days ago. They include a Heniochus, Racoon, Threadfin, Longnose and Copperband. They are the first fish in a cycled 220 FOWLR. They arrived in great condition and are all eating and healthy. The Heniochus is a very active swimmer and eats everything I have fed except for flakes. I also have a fire shrimp which cleans the butterflys. I have some zenia which I transplanted from my reef tank that the racoon picks at as well as some button polyps and a couple small mushrooms. The copperband eats mysis, brine shrimp, mussel and frozen shrimp. They all swim together with no aggression towards each other. I have 200 pounds of live rock. From what I have observed so far I would highly recommend the Heniochus as long as you have a good size tank.
That is wonderful that everything is good so far!