Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Marine Fish Forums > Reef Fishes
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 02/27/2011, 11:29 AM   #1
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
butterflies in reefs

I can't get enough!

i started out like everyone. a stereotypical reefer who would cringe at the very sight of a butterfly, fearing for my corals.

soon i started taking risks, and learning more and learnt that there are many reef safe ones.

then i took the first bite. a longnose butterfly. which has been with me ever since. i like it more and more! so i got a marginalis, which is not with me anymore

now i'm hooked so deeply i can't get out. i'm a fan of butterflies and even bigger fan of them in reefs. i take time sharing about butterflies in reefs to my friends in my local forum about reef safe butterflies from the genus forcipiger, chelmon, prognathodes, hemitaurichtys and i'm glad to see that some of my friends have taken the chance too!

i now have a declivis, mitratus, longnose in the display, and a semeion in QT. the semeion is a tough nut to crack!

i love butterflies and reef safe is beyond me now. in a SPS tank, the damage done is quite minimal. and i'm even keeping some LPS too! so much so that i got myself a semeion and i'm getting a paucifasciatus soon. i cannot wait for it to come! it's been years since they were made available!

that should fill my quota..for the number of butterflies in one tank.

so to the wind with reef-safeness i say!

any butterfly in reef tank lovers here? i know there are some!


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 11:48 AM   #2
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
Well, to be practical, not much has changed with respect to the butterflies that have been commonly available for years and years. Most are still pretty destructive in a reef, depending on the coral. There is still no way I'd drop a threadfin or pearlscale into my reef. And, personally, my collare and blackback proceeded to clean out my FOWLR of any few random corals and polyps I had.

I don't think longnose types were ever said not to be reef safe.

The roa complex types are newer on the scene (well, compared to when I started), as are the zoster/pyramid.

Now, all that said, I am tempted to try a saddleback in my reef


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:01 PM   #3
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
in my country, people are afraid even of longnose and copperbands. and would kill them with a stake and garlic cloves. that's how backward the situation is.

well yes i agree! pearlscales and the like are way too destructive but i can't help it.

i threw in a semeion, which is quite closely related to saddleback (they do hybridise in the wild) and so far so good. nipping on my SPS but nothing much.

i would love a saddleback too. they're gorgeous aren't they? but will sacrifice this for something else.

i'll wait for my red sea pearlscale and then throw that in too.

granted there are some that are really not safe to the fullest extent. like ocellicaudus and mellanotus. these 2 eat soft corals in the wild even the untasty sarcophyton. LPS too. collare is also quite destructive.


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:04 PM   #4
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
Pfft, good luck finding the red sea pearlscale. Been years I've been wanting one.

I have a gorgeous saddleback. He is only 3" or so, but has full adult colors...streamer...purple belly stripes, faded eye band... stunning!


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:06 PM   #5
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDguy View Post
Pfft, good luck finding the red sea pearlscale. Been years I've been wanting one.

I have a gorgeous saddleback. He is only 3" or so, but has full adult colors...streamer...purple belly stripes, faded eye band... stunning!
dejong marine has 3 in stock now. my LFS manage to secure one piece and is bringing it in for me upon request.

i've been waiting for it for eternity already but it's not completely unobtainable... just super rare to the nth power.


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:07 PM   #6
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
So jealous. I don't know about putting it in reef though. Maybe you should send it over to my FOWLR


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:12 PM   #7
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDguy View Post
So jealous. I don't know about putting it in reef though. Maybe you should send it over to my FOWLR
well perhaps it's just a dream and too good to be true. red sea peralscales were thought to be gone as with the red sea regals. for some unknown reason i would like to know why.

but if it does ever come, then i'll be so happy. it can chew on anything it wants. if i do ever get it, i'll be sure to update you on it's behaviour.

i know you want one alot. i've searched paucifasciatus and you mentioned it in a thread you created.

let's not pop the champagne yet :P not until it arrives that is.


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:15 PM   #8
jonnybravo22
Registered Member
 
jonnybravo22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,128
i have a mitratus and a burgess in my tank with sps and an anemone. seems to work ou fin. i'm very happy with these fish because they're gorgeous and add a lot to the aesthetic in my opinion. wish my burgess wasnt so aggressive against th mitratus at feeding time though!


jonnybravo22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:16 PM   #9
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnybravo22 View Post
i have a mitratus and a burgess in my tank with sps and an anemone. seems to work ou fin. i'm very happy with these fish because they're gorgeous and add a lot to the aesthetic in my opinion. wish my burgess wasnt so aggressive against th mitratus at feeding time though!
nice! 2 beautiful roaps butterflies in your tank.

your burgess is nasty towards your mitratus during feeding time? that's interesting. i've read many accounts on mitratus being very aggressive


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:18 PM   #10
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
Quote:
Originally Posted by LemonLemon View Post
let's not pop the champagne yet not until it arrives that is.
I'll keep it chilling just in case though

So, can you expand more on what the semeion does/eats?

Oh, and to keep this thread on track :










__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:21 PM   #11
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
that longnose is gorgeous! so fat!

what are you feeding it and what's your feeding regime?

the semeion is very very very finicky. it only nibbles on floating nori for now. it's only been a week..

i've spoken to my friend who kept this species. apparently very shy and skittish, even in the wild. but his fed after 2 weeks and is living well ever since!


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:26 PM   #12
demonclownfish
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: michigan
Posts: 121
anyone ever had luck with the raccoon butterflies?


demonclownfish is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:27 PM   #13
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
This YLN is the smaller of the two that I had in my FOWLR. It never ate flake or pellet like the larger one, so I decided to move it into the reef, since the anthias get all sorts of frozen foods anyway. He gets scallop, shrimp, mysis, and occasionally blackworms.


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:30 PM   #14
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
demonclownfish - raccoons are like threadfins and are quite destructive in reef tanks. especially towards small anemones. bubbletips included. as well as aiptasia i saw a soft coral dominated TOTM once with a threadfin in it though. seems doable, but again, depending on your choice of corals. in a tank full of meaty LPS, i don't think it's a good idea.

SDguy - how may i address you btw? and you manage to get one of them to eat pellets and flakes? that's impressive!


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:33 PM   #15
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
I'm Peter. Yes, I was pretty surprised to see the larger YLN eat pellets. You think the little one is fat, you should see him!!


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:36 PM   #16
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDguy View Post
I'm Peter. Yes, I was pretty surprised to see the larger YLN eat pellets. You think the little one is fat, you should see him!!
Hi peter.

mine takes a bite at pellets once in awhile. i guess it feels left out that everyone is eating this hard biscuit and he's all alone. but then he can't get it into his mouth. perhaps i should try smaller ones or pre-soaking them first.

keeping the body mass on YLN is not as easy as other fishes i find, due to their skinny nature and tiny mouths. i feed mine 3 times a day with frozen if i'm at home, or 2 times if i'm not at home.

pellets would definitely help in keeping it robust though.


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:37 PM   #17
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
I do pre-soak them. He really prefers the ReaSea brand over NLS though Do I just continue to call you Lemon?


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:41 PM   #18
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDguy View Post
I do pre-soak them. He really prefers the ReaSea brand over NLS though Do I just continue to call you Lemon?
yes you can call me Lemon most people call me by that name.

i'll try soaking pellets tomorrow to feed my YLN and update here. fingers crossed!


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:46 PM   #19
jonnybravo22
Registered Member
 
jonnybravo22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,128
yeah the burgess was there first and is just slightly larger so he is the aggressor at feeding time. but other times they can be swimming together.

i love the body shape of these butterflies. and the color / patterns make them very attractive IMO.

lemon what country are you from?


jonnybravo22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 12:51 PM   #20
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnybravo22 View Post
yeah the burgess was there first and is just slightly larger so he is the aggressor at feeding time. but other times they can be swimming together.

i love the body shape of these butterflies. and the color / patterns make them very attractive IMO.

lemon what country are you from?
Hi. yah i like the shape of those butterflies. i have a mitratus and a declivis. i like the spike that hangs out from the anal fin!

i'm from Singapore. butterflies are difficult to obtain here because they are unpopular. marginalis has only appeared once. for butterflies like tinkeri, i have to request for it to get it. but the others do come occasionally or rarely.

i do sometimes catch copperbands from the beach. they are very common and hand caught ones with only a 30 min travelling time from sea to my house are very hardy! they eat very well.


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 01:08 PM   #21
jonnybravo22
Registered Member
 
jonnybravo22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,128
cool. by the way, i got these guys from Diver's Den (liveaquaria) and they eat everything. flakes, rod's food, pellets, i think they even munch a little cyclopeeze when i drop that in.


jonnybravo22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 01:13 PM   #22
LemonLemon
Registered Member
 
LemonLemon's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,072
i wish i could get fishes from liveaquaria too

i cannot. so i subscribe anyway and ogle and beautiful fish pictures daily :P


__________________
Show me your teeth
LemonLemon is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 01:22 PM   #23
MCCOOL
Registered Member
 
MCCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,135
How are saddleback butterflies(cheatodon ephippium) with SPS? I tried searching and couldn't find much. Liveaquaria says they eat "hard corals" but isn't specific on what types, I figured they probably eat LPS.


MCCOOL is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 01:36 PM   #24
rssjsb
Registered Member
 
rssjsb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 3,243
Peter, is that a "big" longnose or the more common flavissimus?


__________________
Robin
rssjsb is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/27/2011, 01:40 PM   #25
SDguy
Fish heads unite!
 
SDguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 23,384
It's just the regular one. While people have commented to me that the long longnose isn't uncommon, I personally have never seen one.... and I look


__________________
Peter

SDMAS member

Marine tanks since 1989.

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.
SDguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
butterfly, butterflyfish

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Copperband butterfly fish-reef safe or not Marinemom New to the Hobby 25 06/02/2015 06:45 PM
Why aren't butterfly fish reef safe? spankey Reef Discussion 9 09/20/2006 08:37 AM
copperband butterflys in reef tanks JoeyK@OCMD Reef Discussion 53 09/08/2006 08:18 AM
Butterflies any reef safe?? jtasmul1 Reef Fishes 13 03/20/2006 08:21 AM
butterflies in reefs jklaw Anthony Calfo 6 04/19/2004 06:17 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.