Chaetodon multicinctus and C. decussatus

[fishfreak2009]

Anyone have experience with either of these? There are one of each at one of my LFS, and both are eating and have spent the past 3 weeks in copper. They are both quality marine fish. I am hoping to pick one of them up tomorrow, but am having a hard time choosing which one. Thoughts?

Tankmates would include other butterflies, dwarf angels, a small sailfin tang, a variety of small fish, and a regal angelfish (the dominant fish in the tank) as well as a chocolate chip starfish, a peppermint shrimp, and a couple hermits.

[Alberta-newb]

I don't have any personal experience with either species, but butterflys are my favorites and I have quite a few reference books.

Scott Michael states the decussatus is one of the more durable species, usually eats well and is not overly sensitive to deteriorating water quality.

The multicintus (Hawaiian islands and Johnston Atoll) can be territorial. Often does not feed in captivity (prefers pocii and porites coral in the wild) some specimens will accept brine shrimp, live clams or mussels.

That being said, if the multicintus is feeding at the store, I would be tempted to try as the books are not always 100% right.

[fishfreak2009]

Well I ended up purchasing the decussatus. The pebbled enjoyed live brine and blackworms, but was somewhat pinched. I put down a deposit and they are holding it for me to see if they can fatten him up. The decussatus was greedily eating everything, including NLS pellets and has been at the store since October. He seems to have settled in so far, and took the freshwater dip with no visible distress.

[jjk_reef00]

I had a Chaetodon multicinctus in QT for about a month. It died when I added another fish with velvet and that killed everything in the QT. From what I saw it was similar to the chaetodon pelewensis, active fish that eats chopped frozen shrimp, scallops, LRF, etc, but no dry goods. They are very active and don't gorge themselves at feeding time so they tend to look thin compared to other butterflies but should do well if fed frequently.

Keep us updated on how the Chaetodon decussatus does, what are the planed tankmates?

[fishfreak2009]

I had a Chaetodon multicinctus in QT for about a month. It died when I added another fish with velvet and that killed everything in the QT. From what I saw it was similar to the chaetodon pelewensis, active fish that eats chopped frozen shrimp, scallops, LRF, etc, but no dry goods. They are very active and don't gorge themselves at feeding time so they tend to look thin compared to other butterflies but should do well if fed frequently.

Keep us updated on how the Chaetodon decussatus does, what are the planed tankmates?

Mine was already eating NLS thera A pellets in his quarantine at the store. His tankmates are a regal angel, a coral beauty angel, a nox angel, a potter's angel, a bicolor angel, a lemonpeel angel, a copperband butterfly, a raccoon butterfly, a longnose butterfly, a heniochus acuminatus, a target mandarin, 2 royal grammas, 6 green chromis, a sailfin tang, a splendid dottyback, a banggai cardinal, a pj cardinal, a sharknose cleaner goby, and an algae blenny.

Still planning on adding the pebbled butterfly (if he fattens up), a true falcula butterfly, a flame angel, a powder blue tang, a fairy wrasse of some sort, and maybe a flame hawkfish.