Are all Butterflies coralNippers?

[argiBK]

Might enjoy this if it works

New video · Tuesday, Feb 19, 2019 🎬

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We’re they eating coconut?

They’re another level of beautiful with those streamers!

 

[NEFFx]

We’re they eating coconut?

They’re another level of beautiful with those streamers!

Yep. Very happy to be, too. Aitutaki was the location. I think the queens are exquisite though. Most beautiful fish in the ocean when I dive.

 

[NEFFx]

I’d like to provide a 1 month update.
My 7 heniochus have not been picking at the corals (much). They pick at rocks similar to any reef safe wrasse. There is an odd time where I can see one go after an sps polyp but at the rate at which they pick im not at all worried.

I have a hypothesis that they either pick on dying frags (sadly nitrate spike took a couple out that resulted from adding 15 fish at once). Or the picking on polyps encourages coral growth from a stress response.

I will continue to monitor this. Also they are not the reef safe type though im surprised how much they love eating nori. And**** they look awesome!

I’d also put in a +1 for liveaquaria as all 11 fish i received are doing quite well (and my tank has velvet).

 

[LaloJ]

I’d like to provide a 1 month update.
My 7 heniochus have not been picking at the corals (much). They pick at rocks similar to any reef safe wrasse. There is an odd time where I can see one go after an sps polyp but at the rate at which they pick im not at all worried.

I have a hypothesis that they either pick on dying frags (sadly nitrate spike took a couple out that resulted from adding 15 fish at once). Or the picking on polyps encourages coral growth from a stress response.

I will continue to monitor this. Also they are not the reef safe type though im surprised how much they love eating nori. And**** they look awesome!

I’d also put in a +1 for liveaquaria as all 11 fish i received are doing quite well (and my tank has velvet).

That's interesting, angelfish are supposed to peck at stressed corals, so it might make sense for butterflyfish to do the same. Do you have velvet in the tank with its 7 Heniochus butterflies?

 

[LPS Bum]

I had to re-home a bicolor dwarf angel that picked on polyps. I've stayed away from butterflies for fear they would do the same.

Has anyone successfully kept butterflies in a reef tank?

Lots of people keep Copperbands and Pyramids in their reefs.

Personally I wouldn’t trust any Butterflies with fleshy LPS corals. SPS would be much safer.

 

[NEFFx]

That's interesting, angelfish are supposed to peck at stressed corals, so it might make sense for butterflyfish to do the same. Do you have velvet in the tank with its 7 Heniochus butterflies?

Yes I have velvet. None of my new 15ft eh got it. But im
Moving to a 600g system so I’m going to do a 2 month fallow period on the tank and and copper treatment before the fish go in there just to be safe so I can feel better about selling coral.