Heniochus reef safe?

mombostic

mombostic

Member
I've been reading in these posts and in my book, and I have a question. Is the Heniochus a reef safe butterfly. It says that they are plankton feeders, whereas the other butterflies, especially the Chaetodonts, eat corals and can't be kept in a reef tank.
I love the look of the long-fin bannerfish and wondered about other people's experience with them. Thanks!
 
mombostic

mombostic

Member
Right, but I was curious after reading that. As a plankton eater, would they pose any real threat in a reef tank? Does anyone have these fish?
No way I'd get a Copperband! They are beautiful, though.
 
sharkboy13

sharkboy13

Active Member
Originally Posted by Seattle
Copperbands are the only reef-safe Butterfly I know

no theyre not, theyre best known for eating aitipsia, so therefore not a good reef candidate, and corals make up a substantial part of their diet in the wild
 
sharkboy13

sharkboy13

Active Member
Originally Posted by sterling
Be careful with the Copperband if you have feather dusters, they love them!
yes they do
 
mombostic

mombostic

Member
It's kind of hard to search the posts, because some people say yes and some people say no. I don't have what most of you would consider a "reef" tank, just a big toadstool thing, some ricordias, a mushroom hitchhiker on the ricordia colony and some green starburst polyps. My main concern is my BTA, which is NOT expendable for any fish, no matter how cool. I think my percs would probably protect the BTA, since they will even hit my hand if I fool around in the tank, but I just wanted to hear some thoughts from anyone who had these fish. Thanks!
 
sharkboy13

sharkboy13

Active Member
well butterflies rnt really, on rare occasions ppl will say they r but in truth most should be left in the FOWLR
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by Seattle
Copperbands are the only reef-safe Butterfly I know

I do not know where you got that from. :notsure:
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
I have a heniochus diphreutes and he is the perfect gentleman in my reef. Has not gone after anything. I had to special order him . The acuminatus looks just like him, but doesn't have the black going all the way through the back fin. Do some research on them and you will get to see the difference in the two, so you can be sure to get the right one. The enclosed picture will show you the last black band on the fish goes all the way through the bottom area of his fin. Good luck, they are wonderful fish. Lots of activity and eat anything I put in the tank.
 
maelv

maelv

Active Member
And I know a woman who has a copperband butterfly in her beautiful 400 gallon reef with absolutely no problems. And another in a smaller reef. It is kinda hit and miss as are a lot of fish, although general rule of thumb is that copperbands are not reef safe. But these would definitely have any and everyopportunity to eat some corlas if they chose to.


 
mombostic

mombostic

Member
I believe I've almost talked myself out of it. I think my system might be a little small, anyway. Why take a chance? I got lucky with my Coral Beauty, so maybe I shouldn't press my luck! There's a lot of great info on here--I love this site!
 
sharkboy13

sharkboy13

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mombostic
. Why take a chance?
exactly, y risk hundreds of dollars worth of corals w/ a fish thats only $30
 
mombostic

mombostic

Member
As an interesting side note, we went out yesterday and visited my two favorite lfs, and at the bigger one, they had a Copperband Butterfly in almost every one of their reef displays, and they weren't for sale. What's that all about?
 
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