Butterfly's and gorgonians are they compatibale?

[Devaji]

Any one know if I can have a tank full of gorgs with a butterfly's? tank would be a 200 gal system.

I am guessing this would not work. but before I give up on the idea I wanted to ask the community.
looking at a group of chaetodon.

some report success with SPS? looking for a way to house these beautiful fish other than LR.
thoughts?

OH I am not talking about the copper band or pyramid those might go in to the reef.

 

[pcon]

depends on the butterfly, its a large and diverse family. There are ones that only eat SPS, some only eat softies, there are ones that can only be kept with softies, there are ones that will eat any corals, there are many that are just fine with almost any coral. many will eat gorgonians happily, including the copperband. Some might not, but gorgonians tend to be high on the menu for many facultative corallivore. What specific butterflies were you interested in?

 

[Reesj]

I don't think that is possible. I'm in the process of rehoming my Powder blue tang as he keeps picking my goniopora. Even things people are reef safe some times tends to be not reef safe. So....

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

I've had a couple copper bands in my tank with lots of gorgs and not had an issue. But that's the only butterfly I've ever had in a reef tank.

 

[Devaji]

depends on the butterfly, its a large and diverse family. There are ones that only eat SPS, some only eat softies, there are ones that can only be kept with softies, there are ones that will eat any corals, there are many that are just fine with almost any coral. many will eat gorgonians happily, including the copperband. Some might not, but gorgonians tend to be high on the menu for many facultative corallivore. What specific butterflies were you interested in?

the butterfly's I am thinking about are:

Rafflesi Butterfly (Chaetodon rafflesi)
Auriga Butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga,
Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris,
Pakistan Butterflyfish, Chaetodon collare,
Pearlscale Butterfly, Chaetodon xanthurus
Saddleback Butterfly (Chaetodon ephippium)
Raccoon Butterfly, Chaetodon lunula,
Panda Butterfly (Chaetodon adiergastos)
Sunset Butterfly (Chaetodon pelewensis)
Yellowhead Butterflyfish (Chaetodon xanthocephalus)

like I said all chaetodon family I belive no corallivore?

I did not know CBB would eat gorgs,? good to know as I hope to have that is in my reef.

 

[pcon]

the butterfly's I am thinking about are:

Rafflesi Butterfly (Chaetodon rafflesi)
Auriga Butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga,
Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris,
Pakistan Butterflyfish, Chaetodon collare,
Pearlscale Butterfly, Chaetodon xanthurus
Saddleback Butterfly (Chaetodon ephippium)
Raccoon Butterfly, Chaetodon lunula,
Panda Butterfly (Chaetodon adiergastos)
Sunset Butterfly (Chaetodon pelewensis)
Yellowhead Butterflyfish (Chaetodon xanthocephalus)

like I said all chaetodon family I belive no corallivore?

I did not know CBB would eat gorgs,? good to know as I hope to have that is in my reef.

My CBB picked at gorgonians and pipe organs, and conches. But each one is different.

all the butterflies you listed are varying degrees of facultative or opportunistic corallivores.
The Rafflesi are not unheard of in reef tanks but they also are known to eat and pick at various corals.
Longnoses are relatively safe but not totally. Things like christmas worms and feather dusters are out.
You see yellowheads in very large sps tanks at public aquariums, but I am curious if they do damage in smaller tanks or to other families of corals.
The rest are pretty well know potential coral eaters, but you do see them in extra large reefs or sps tanks sometimes.

I feel like gorgonians don't handle picking very well and can stay closed and die from curious angels and butterflies. However it definitely is and can be done, always comes down to individual fish and coral. Do you want to mold fish around the coral or coral around the fish.

Some good resources on the subject:

Keeping butterflyfish in reefs: What to look out for and what to avoid | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Butterflyfish are the quintessential reef inhabitant. Take a look at any coral reef picture, video, documentary, poster, you name it. There’s a high chance a colourful butterfly is flitting around…

reefbuilders.com

Reef Safe Butterflyfishes?

I confess that I cringe a little bit any time I hear someone say "this fish will not eat corals" or "this fish is reef safe" because, like all wild animals, fis

reefs.com

 

[Devaji]

My CBB picked at gorgonians and pipe organs, and conches. But each one is different.

all the butterflies you listed are varying degrees of facultative or opportunistic corallivores.
The Rafflesi are not unheard of in reef tanks but they also are known to eat and pick at various corals.
Longnoses are relatively safe but not totally. Things like christmas worms and feather dusters are out.
You see yellowheads in very large sps tanks at public aquariums, but I am curious if they do damage in smaller tanks or to other families of corals.
The rest are pretty well know potential coral eaters, but you do see them in extra large reefs or sps tanks sometimes.

I feel like gorgonians don't handle picking very well and can stay closed and die from curious angels and butterflies. However it definitely is and can be done, always comes down to individual fish and coral. Do you want to mold fish around the coral or coral around the fish.

Some good resources on the subject:

Keeping butterflyfish in reefs: What to look out for and what to avoid | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Butterflyfish are the quintessential reef inhabitant. Take a look at any coral reef picture, video, documentary, poster, you name it. There’s a high chance a colourful butterfly is flitting around…

reefbuilders.com

Reef Safe Butterflyfishes?

I confess that I cringe a little bit any time I hear someone say "this fish will not eat corals" or "this fish is reef safe" because, like all wild animals, fis

reefs.com

yeah it was just an idea. always loved the look of butterfly fish but dont want o true FOWLR wanted the tank to have some extra life and look good so I got to thinking. as I love gorgs too playing around with possible tank ideas.

I believe it's more possible with SPS than gorgs.