Hi! help with butterflies?

srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
..............and that's what happens when you buy fish that you know nothing about. There are many, many butterflies that are totally impossible for 99% of us. Many eat nothing but certain coral polyps. I'd never buy anything at a lfs that would sell these, except on special order to someone who knew what he was getting and how to feed & care for it. In fact, reputable wholesalers won't even stock these fish.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/382086/hi-help-with-butterflies#post_3332246
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/382086/hi-help-with-butterflies#post_3332244
I'm not really happy with the H20 foods that I've tried so far ....
REALLY!!!! I have been using the Pro Variety mix in the bulk bags, and I really like it....they have a great variety, and I just pick out which cubes I want each day....and my fish are always getting a variety, and seem to love it

what did you try?
So far I've only tried the spirulina mysis/brine combo, Fish and Reef #1 and Rotifiers. I really dislike the Fish and Reef #1. It does not break apart well at all and ends up clogging my turkey baster and the fish won't eat it. I use it just to feed corals now.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
For the record, both of these fish look very unhealthy, which furthers my, "You're not feeding the right food" statement.
To Silvermon,
Not trying to put you down, but you need to do a lot more research before you put one more fish in this tank. You probably feel like you're being attacked, but it really is so that you learn and don't kill your fish and leave the hobby with a sour taste in your mouth. Return these butterflies. One should not even be available in the hobby and the other needs an established tank, as do all butterflies. They're not a beginner fish by any sense of the word. Butterflies are finicky eaters with specific diets that a new tank rarely can offer them. You also have two butterflies that are similar body shapes, which will lead to war. Then there is the issue of how large your tank is (which we do not know) and the fish being fed an improper diet.
 
burrito

burrito

Member
._. so what are the best food for SW i been feeding my SW with Marie Fish Flake i cant buy seaweeed like every day :/
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Silvermon.....I made a similar mistake when I started......I bought a raccoon butterfly and copperband cause I thought they were neat looking.....SIGH....I did not know much then,
My tank was fairly new, and I lost the copperband rather quickly......the raccoon was a freakin monster....beat everybody up, and then I fould out it was not reef safe.....well I caught it (was very hard too) and gave it to someone in TX with an established tank.
the problem with your fish is, they also look very sickly....so IDK if anyone would even take them.....you should ask your lfs if they have a qt/ht.....and if they will take them to treat them, and then sell them to someone who can care for them
the bad thing is if they do have ich....well now your tank is infested also......what other livestock fo you have in it? AND what size is the tank?
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
To everyone involved, this post goes along with what BTL and else has said about this being strictly educational/helping, and not intended to insult.
First, yea, that Triangle Butterfly is unfortunately a goner. This really is one of those cases there is just nothing really can be none. They are strict corallivores, and in the care of experts, who provide diets of coral, is still only having limited success at this point.
The Panda Butterfly isn't one of the better choices for a first Butterflyfish, but they can live in captivity. The issues with disease though will be needed to treated right away. I've cared for over 15 species of Butterflies, and if I've learned something, its that you simply can't wait around. They are too fragile of fish, any issues must be resolved immediately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burrito http:///forum/thread/382086/hi-help-with-butterflies/20#post_3332271
._. so what are the best food for SW
There is no one answer for that question. There is far too great of range in dietary needs for different species of SW fish. The diet a Tang needs, is quite different from the needs of a Lionfish. This is way it's very important to thoroughly research all your purchases, before you buy the fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burrito http://20#post_3332271
i cant buy seaweeed like every day :/
You don't need to buy seaweed everyday?
Every LFS or online retailer has packages of seaweed with 15-40 sheets. I buy mine at Wal-Mart for $2.18 for 30 sheets, and that lasts me about a week and half, but I have a lot of fish.
If you mean this more like in the 'greater picture' terms, where you don't have the budget for proper foods for your fish, anyone in this position, perhaps really should take a moment or two, and reconsider. This hobby is purely a luxury. I like to sharks as an example here. I believe most people would really like to keep a Blacktip Reef shark. However because of the time/size/and costs it takes to commit to one, very few people actually keep one. To be honest, there really shouldn't be much of a lesser standard for any of the other fish we commonly keep.
I am definitely not suggesting that anyone who happened to fall on hard times immediately sell off everything they own, but just take time and reevaluate the hobby, and what seems logical to them.
 
hunt

hunt

Active Member
burrito...your fish cant live off of just seaweed. you have carnivores in there to (mysis shrimp is a good start).
I made the same mistake with butterflies when i started out to. I bought a vagabond butterfly and it got a viral infection and died within 24 hours...that then spread to my other fish and killed all but the orange orcellaris clown i still have today. I have learned a lot since then and will never make those mistakes again...
 
silvermon

silvermon

Member
@all thanks for all your replies... maybe we wouldn't get another butterfly for now since its quite hard to feed and care for it..
We will try to care for damsels first until we have enough experience to care for butterflies...
Our domino damsels are very active now even they were caught from the wild beach last sunday...
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/382086/hi-help-with-butterflies#post_3332245
Quote:
Originally Posted by srfisher17 http:///forum/thread/382086/hi-help-with-butterflies#post_3332242
I think you should take any SW fish you have back to the store and really do some reading on this hobby. Butterflies are not beginner fish and I'm afraid your doomed if you keep buying fish without any idea of their requirements. The move from FW to SW requires a lot of research and planning.
They also need established tanks to survive.......and
How old is your tank Silvermon?????
around 2 weeks? @_@
 
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