Black and White Heniochus Butterflyfish

[gogators1088]

so a fellow reefer in my area has 1 of these in his 300 gal tank thats loaded with everything, SPS, LPS and softies. i didnt know if it was just a lucky one that hasnt turned yet or if they are truely reef safe, everywhere i have read has all been contradicting. it would be going in a 75 gal if it make a defference...

[SDguy]

They get too big for a 75g. I have one in a 110g, and it's already outgrown it, in less than a year (started the size of a quarter!) :(

[gogators1088]

well in the next year or so I want to upgrade to a 180 or so, so that's not the issue, just didn't know if it'll screw with my corals?

[SDguy]

Never buy a fish for a tank you *may* get in the future.

FWIW, mine hasn't touched any of the few corals I'm put in the tank (mainly softies and shrooms and such).

[NCSUsalt]

there are two species that are sold as b/w heniochus. one is generally reef safe the other is not. the one that has the black bar end at the tip of the anal fin should be the reef safe one

[sfboarders]

I had one. It was my favorite fish. I went on vacation for a week and I came back with nipped favia and plate corals. I had to get rid of him. I'd only recommend having one if you have a FOWLR tank which is what I originally started as.

[ajholms0427]

As long as it's well fed I believe you can probablt get one, but you never know if the one you get will like to nip at things.

[jd474]

If you are for sure getting H. diphreutes, and not H. acuminatus, they are generally good reef candidates, but they get too big for even a 180.

[Toddrtrex]

Never buy a fish for a tank you *may* get in the future.

.....

Exactly. About 4 years ago I was going to get a "big" tank, well that still hasn't happened.