Does anyone have experience with Prognathodes marcellae?

[Zionas]

Does anyone here have experience with the West African Prognathodes marcellae? If you do, how long have you had it and what is it like in terms of hardiness, reef safeness, feeding habits etc? Do they need cooler water? Thanks.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've not had one, but have kept many Bank's butterflies and a person I knew who imported fish from Ghana said they are very similar. I wouldn't put one in a reef, they prefer cooler water. We kept our Bank's around 72F. This genus of butterflyfish are very prone to Neobenedenia flukes, so watch for that.

Jay

 

[Zionas]

I see. Thanks. Do you have any experience with the Gunther’s and Sedentarius Butterflies (Atlantic Reef)? What about the Klein’s and the Roaps (Burgess, Mitratus etc.)? Are any of them hardy and partially reef safe? Much appreciated.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I have kept P. aculeatus in a Caribbean tank, and they were pretty good reef citizens. The only Chaetodon sp. I generally put in reef tanks are raccoons and C. ulietensis, in SPS only tanks. Have kept about a dozen of them in different tanks and never had a problem. I would not put a Kelin's in a reef tank.

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. How did the P. Aculeatus do in terms of hardiness and eagerness to take different foods? Did it require lower than average temperatures? How long have you had your butterflies / did you have him?

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. How did the P. Aculeatus do in terms of hardiness and eagerness to take different foods? Did it require lower than average temperatures? How long have you had your butterflies / did you have him?

It's been 10+ years, but we went with them because we needed Caribbean reef safe aiptasia eaters, and there aren't a lot of choices. Kept a pair in a larger tank, started on live brine and went to frozen foods, kept at 78 and they did ok for a couple years and eventually disappeared. I'm not sure if the tropical temps affected them, or they were just out competed for food. They were with about 100 other fish, mostly large grunts, with hogs, durgon, pork fish, and needlefish that were all voracious eaters. I would ask what you want to accomplish with any butterflyfish in a reef tank. We kept raccoons and ulietensis in SPS tanks because they were less finicky eaters than copperbands, but they were always purely utility fish.

 

[Zionas]

How long did it take for them to start eating pellets and flakes? Did you go through the same with your Ulitensis and Raccoons?

For me it’s both utility as well as looks. Just love their body shape and some have simple but nice patterns.

I think the tropical temperatures might have played a part though I’m not sure but I think it’s more likely they were outcompeted.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

How long did it take for them to start eating pellets and flakes? Did you go through the same with your Ulitensis and Raccoons?

For me it’s both utility as well as looks. Just love their body shape and some have simple but nice patterns.

I think the tropical temperatures might have played a part though I’m not sure but I think it’s more likely they were outcompeted.

Never fed any pelleted or flake food. PE mysids, cyclopeeze, live adult brine, along with krill, chopped clam, and chopped shrimp. The other butterflies were 5-10 years old probably, easy to keep.

 

[Zionas]

Good to know. Atlantic / Caribbean biotope sounds cool but in my part of the world Atlantic species are a rarity. We only get some large angels, Royal Grammas, sometimes Blackcap Basslets and very rarely Swissguard Basslets. One dealer has the Reef Butterfly (Sedentarius) and I’ve seen them get in the Barberfish.

Have never seen Aculeatus not even once.

My fave Atlantic fish are the Basslets / Perches.


In China.

 

[Zionas]

By the way, has anyone kept / does anyone keep Chaetodon Sedentarius (Atlantic Reef) and the Barberfish (Johnrandallia).

If anyone has experience, how have they done for you? Any troubles with feeding and adapting? Reef safe at all?

Thanks.