Who here knows a lot about Butterfly Fish?

[fishrule]

Tank Pic...

I would love to add one or more to my 100g tank, but I don’t know enough about this species other than what I have read about them on this forum. Most of what I have read is, do not put them in smaller tanks and some of them don’t eat well or kill corals or kill small crabs, etc.
Is it possible for me to add any Butterfly fish to my 100g tank if it is populated with Coral and Inverts?
What do they eat?
How many can be placed in this size tank and are there any that can be schooled?
What are the Do’s and Don’ts of these fish???
My current tank is about 9 months old, is 100g, has about 90lbs of Live Rock and 45lbs of LS...
Fish:
- 1 Blue/Yellow Damsel (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 2 PJ Cardinal Fish (Adding Tomorrow)
- 1 OrangeBack Basslet (Adding Tomorrow)
Inverts:
- 4 Hermit Crabs (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 1 Scarlet Hermit Crab (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 2 Porcelain Crabs (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 1 Brittle Star (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 2 Purple Urchins (Been in tank for 7 months+)
- 1 Royal Urchin (Been in tank for 7 months+)
Thanks for any info... : )

 

[fishrule]

No one???

 

[fedukeford]

all i know is that the copperband, and longnose butterlies are the most reef safe, but hard to get started eating, should be ok in a 100 gallon

 

[my way]

I don't know a lot about them, but from checking another site it seems most are not reef compatible and some are possibly compatible. Is there any particular one you are thinking of getting?

 

[dogstar]

Most Butterflies are not very hardy, esp. in a new tank and most a not safe with corals. Some you could try later after the tank is more established is the Longnose, Big Longnose, Schooling Heni, Pyrimid.
EDIT< I missed the part that the tank is 9 months old. The pic of the tank looks new, I dont see any fish or corals in it.
Alot of BFs dont need 100g tanks but still what I said above IMO is correct for an established tank.

 

[fishrule]

Thanks for the info guys... :cheer:
I will wait before I buy a butterfly then...
I'd still like to get a lot of advice on these species however...

 

[fishrule]

Originally Posted by Dogstar
Most Butterflies are not very hardy, esp. in a new tank and most a not safe with corals. Some you could try later after the tank is more established is the Longnose, Big Longnose, Schooling Heni, Pyrimid.
EDIT< I missed the part that the tank is 9 months old. The pic of the tank looks new, I dont see any fish or corals in it.
Alot of BFs dont need 100g tanks but still what I said above IMO is correct for an established tank.
I moved all of my corals to my 25g office tank just before my tank crashed from me being a "NooB"
I learned from my mistakes on my main tank and my office tank is very healthy... Now my main tank is ready to re-introduce Corals and Fish... So I am doing my homework on the Butterflies...
When I learned the ways of the SWFF Force I completely change how I take care of my tank and I ask a lot of questions before I endanger the life of Salt Water Species... :happyfish
The only fish that survived the crash was my Damsel (Very Peaceful) and the inverts I have listed above... The other fish are new and should be here sometime tomorrow...

 

[dogstar]

Butterflyfishes make up the family Chaetodontidae. You can search the name.
Most are very beautifull and many can not be kept in captivity because of special diets like they feed on corals.
You can ask about a particular species if you want but I buy books, not write them. haha

 

[coachklm]

i have a complete list hang on ....
"chaetodon nippon"
"chaetodon miliaris"
"chaetodon litus"
"chaetodon kleinii"
"chaetodon fremblii"

[hr]
safe with soft coral only tank
but well worth it!
many butterflies dont do well with other butterflies.
these are at just a 55g safe so i'm sure i could find others... for 100g.

 

[fishrule]

Great - Thanks for all of the Info Guys... : ) This is helping a lot! :cheer:

 

[maroonytun]

Fishrule,
What fish stores do you go to???
I know a store in Michigan that has Copperbands with inverts, if you are interested let me know.

 

[fishrule]

Originally Posted by maroonytun
Fishrule,
What fish stores do you go to???
I know a store in Michigan that has Copperbands with inverts, if you are interested let me know.
Maroonytun,
I live in Traverse City, Norhtern MI... (Not the UP)
I only have one local fish store...

They aren't too bad though. I buy all of my Live Rock and Coral From them...
Where are you located?

 

[triggernut]

Hi,
All I know I had a Copperband Butterfly and it died within a week. About 6 months later
I got a Lemon Peel Butterfly and it died in less than 24 hours. My water was perfect all
except the trates which I am battling still to get em lower. I probably need a fuge but thats more money to invest. They are very hard fish to keep. I have a 75 gallon with about 8 fish in it 2 Clowns, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 Mandarin, 2 purple firefish, 1 Dispar Anthias, 1 Pink Hatian anemone. I wish the butterfly worked out they are so beautiful. BTW nice tank

Trigger

 

[shiby1510]

Sorry to get off topic but what kind of moonlights are those??? they look awesome!! If they're led's what size, luminosity, angle.. etc... got a pic of them?
Sorry really wanna know cuz I'm going to be building some pretty soon... and wanted to give you a

to them!

 

[maroonytun]

Fishrule,
I live about 10 minutes from Ann Arbor.
I shop at tropicorium and Fish Doctors.

 

[rainfishy]

Here is my experience-
I have tried only Threadfin Butterfly Fish. The first one I got died within two weeks of a bacterial infection and the second one (tried six months later in a different tank) died at about three and a half weeks of a bacterial infection. Both were eating like pigs (home made fish food that included clam, other seafood, nori, garlic, and Selcon) and I also soaked the food in Zoe prior to feeding. The bacterial infections hit fast! From first sign of infection till time of death was less than a day for both fish.
Since both situations were so similar I would assume it had to do with my tank, except these fish were in two different tanks, both tanks over six months old. And both tanks were stable and had consistant readings throughout the time the fish were in them.
So I am thinking that Threadfins that are availale in my region are prone to bacterial infections. I am not going to try one again any time soon!
Good Luck, Butterflys are such pretty fish!!!