Butterfly fish and angle fish that are reef safe

[Mikenroe]

Hi there, I would like to start getting some ideas and would live opinions of those of you who have experience with keeping angles and butterfly's in reef aquariums. My tank is a mixed reef, 160 gal, with strong flow, I feed daily, and I'm starting to get into SPS corals, so now I'm dosing regularly to keep levels stable. I have a flame angle now and he is a model citizen in with 3 yellow tangs. However I would like to have some other angles and or butterfly's.

[Reefstarter2]

you find one that has color let me know lol. there are Angels that are reef safe , they are the open water ones that generally do not eat corals .

[Dmorty217]

Genicanthus Angels are reefsafe. The only butterfly's that are reefsafe are the Mitratus, Declivis, Tinkeri, and their hybrids

[pinnatus]

Typically, copperbands and longnose butterflies are reef safe. Except for aptaisia.

[Mike Ordner]

I have not had one in my tank but have been told that the pyramid butterfly is reef safe.

[brett559]

I know lots of people that have had good success with coral beauties, flame angels and regal angels.

[hogfanreefer]

I have not had one in my tank but have been told that the pyramid butterfly is reef safe.

Both of the Hemitaruichthys species (pyramid and zoster) are relatively reef safe. Mine has been in the tank for 18 months and has not bothered anything. My copperband has not bothered anything though I've heard that some of them can target zoaz/palys

[ThRoewer]

Typically, copperbands and longnose butterflies are reef safe. Except for aptaisia.

and any kind of worms. One of my past tanks was full with those little featherduster worms - until I added a Chelmon. It only took her a couple days until all she could reach were gone. It"s great though for getting them to eat and convert to Mysis.
Though she never touched any of the aptasia I had in the tank.
When I later added a male he also wouldn't touch the aptasia. But he quickly learned from the female to eat Mysis.

[LobsterOfJustice]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1661153&page=8

[SoloChromis]

Butterflies
* Chelmon
* Forcipiger
* Prognathodes
* Hemitaurichthys
* Milletseed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris)
* Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
* Roaps Complex Butterflies (Declivis, Mitratus, Tinker's etc.)

Angels are a bit trickier, as you can keep any angel with corals, as long as you take into consideration their natural diet and be sure to keep coral they're less likely to pick at (or outright obliterate), depending on their species and their track record in captivity.

This whole notion that there are 3 species that can be kept successfully in reefs is borderline ridiculous :rolleyes: There are so many species and genera out there that people overlook, you just need to take into consideration the fish's natural tendencies and speak to people who have kept them personally. Good luck :beer:

[Dmorty217]

Butterflies
* Chelmon
* Forcipiger
* Prognathodes
* Hemitaurichthys
* Milletseed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris)
* Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
* Roaps Complex Butterflies (Declivis, Mitratus, Tinker's etc.)

Angels are a bit trickier, as you can keep any angel with corals, as long as you take into consideration their natural diet and be sure to keep coral they're less likely to pick at (or outright obliterate), depending on their species and their track record in captivity.

This whole notion that there are 3 species that can be kept successfully in reefs is borderline ridiculous :rolleyes: There are so many species and genera out there that people overlook, you just need to take into consideration the fish's natural tendencies and speak to people who have kept them personally. Good luck :beer:

Just be careful which banner fish you end up with since there are 3 different types and only one is reefsafe. Also two of the three look almost identical to one another

[jraker]

i know that pyramid butterflies are completely reef safe, and do well in groups.

bellus angels are also a cool large angel that is reef safe

[bradleyj]

My 335 g reef tank

https://youtu.be/NS1sKY0kBHM

[Spartanman22]

I've had good luck with Potters angels. I had a multifasciata that picked at SPS, a cherub that was a model citizen, and a coral beauty that was also a model citizen.

I had a banner fish way back when and he was fine with SPS, but he destroyed palythoas and microdusters

[Baldguy]

Ime Pyramid Butterflies are reef safe except for clearing the tank of Xenia. In my case that was a good thing. I know some have gotten them for this purpose.

[Sounds Fishy]

I have a no problem with my Singapore Angel.Eats very well,and stays away from coral.However,some are known to be a problem.

[SoloChromis]

Just be careful which banner fish you end up with since there are 3 different types and only one is reefsafe. Also two of the three look almost identical to one another

Heniochus diphreutes (schooling bannerfish) is by far the most sought after, and typically the one people are referring to when they say they're looking for the "reef safe heniochus". It looks very similar to the most commonly available of the genus, Heniochus acuminatus (black & white heniochus). There's very slight differences in the two, most easily spotted would be diphreutes' shorter snout, more rounded breast and the fact that on their anal fin the black and white meet at the tip, evenly. There's loads of threads out there of people trying to decipher which species they're dealing with and what to look for in the reef-safe schooling banner. I've heard conflicting info of some of the other less common members of the genus being safer than others, but I'm not going to try to pretend I remember what worked and what didn't. You see them all the time in FOWLRs, it'd be great to successfully keep some in reefs :beer: