Butterfly Fish Thread
- Thread starter reesed5
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My two. Hopefully one day I'll have a FOWLR where I can keep some different butterflies.
He used to belong to Humblefish and came to me eating just about anything frozen. He especially likes LRS and PE mysis. While I'm sure he could fend for himself he likes to eat out of my hand so I start out feeding him by hand.
redfishbluefish
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Hard to get a decent picture....he wouldn't stand still! Here's my long nose yellow that I've had since 2008.
The funny story with my guy is that a while back I had taped a mirror to the side of the tank to try to get two zebrasomas from picking on each other. Instead, the long nose spent the whole time in front of the mirror displaying his spiked dorsal fin....all ready to fight.
The funny story with my guy is that a while back I had taped a mirror to the side of the tank to try to get two zebrasomas from picking on each other. Instead, the long nose spent the whole time in front of the mirror displaying his spiked dorsal fin....all ready to fight.
lewis.maryann08
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So I guess they are reef safe?
IME; CBB & Longnose are. Except for clams and sometimes they will eat zoas.
Hemitaurichthys (Pyramids) and Heniochus diphreutes are supposed to be 100% reef safe though.
lewis.maryann08
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Thank you
Smite
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Bah! Got me with the blue text! I thought it was a link.Butterfly garden tank!
Any tips to getting CBB to eat frozen/ pellets? I've heard some recommend to QT so they are forced to try other foods as opposed to hunting and slowly starving in the main display. What in everyone's experience is usually the best food to attempt first?
The CBB is the fish that made me take the jump from nano tanks to a larger system. I've lost 2 now, and am pretty discouraged at this point to attempt another.
Any truth to aussie specimens having a better chance at acclimating to a home reef tank?
Time/patience. The last one I started out on live blackworms and then started putting half cubes of frozen mysis/LRS in a feeding grid (see below.) This allowed him to pick at the food which comes natural for them and also he got to eat before any of my other fish. In time, he learned it was just as easy to pick the food right out of my hand. I would feed him 2-3x daily like this; kinda planned my day around it and he got to know when it was feeding time (like a dog.) I've owned a few that eventually ate flake/pellets. The first time I had to would have to trick them into eating it by putting it in my hand.
Yes; specimens from Australia have a higher survival rate and also more likely to eat in captivity. But they are also a lot more expensive.
Smite
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Thank you! Once my QT is empty I may try again.Time/patience. The last one I started out on live blackworms and then started putting half cubes of frozen mysis/LRS in a feeding grid (see below.) This allowed him to pick at the food which comes natural for them and also he got to eat before any of my other fish. In time, he learned it was just as easy to pick the food right out of my hand. I would feed him 2-3x daily like this; kinda planned my day around it and he got to know when it was feeding time (like a dog.) I've owned a few that eventually ate flake/pellets. The first time I had to would have to trick them into eating it by putting it in my hand.
Yes; specimens from Australia have a higher survival rate and also more likely to eat in captivity. But they are also a lot more expensive.
I stick to mysis and live black worms. Had mine a while now maybe close to a year. I don't feed pellets on a daily basis but most of my fish will eat them when I do with the exception of the butterflies.
I found them to have trouble getting much food because they are slow eaters and my tank is very busy. One thing that helped was feeding from a turkey baster. The butterflies are bold and didn't mind. The other fish mostly shied away and that gave butterflies extra eating time. Now however, I just dump it in but only a little at a time 5 or 6 times instead of all at once, seems to work out well.
Also never had any trouble in the reef aside from claims an orange plate and an all orange acan. Other colors of plates and acans are fine. Tempted to try a meat coral but hesitant.
I found them to have trouble getting much food because they are slow eaters and my tank is very busy. One thing that helped was feeding from a turkey baster. The butterflies are bold and didn't mind. The other fish mostly shied away and that gave butterflies extra eating time. Now however, I just dump it in but only a little at a time 5 or 6 times instead of all at once, seems to work out well.
Also never had any trouble in the reef aside from claims an orange plate and an all orange acan. Other colors of plates and acans are fine. Tempted to try a meat coral but hesitant.
