Does anyone keep Eritrean butterflyfish?

[Conrad Noto]

Wondering if they do well tanked?

Eritrean butterflyfish - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Bump

 

[Big E]

I haven't seen them show up for sale in a while...7-8 years. They do very well and are hardy. Problem is they basically only come from the Red Sea area.

Similar to C. xanthurus & C. mertensii which aren't rare if you don't mind orange back body instead of the red. These also come with a price tag about 10x less.

 

[Conrad Noto]

I haven't seen them show up for sale in a while...7-8 years. They do very well and are hardy. Problem is they basically only come from the Red Sea area.

Similar to C. xanthurus & C. mertensii which aren't rare if you don't mind orange back body instead of the red. These also come with a price tag about 10x less.

I've had C. xanthurus & C. mertensii, haven't had Eritrean, hard to find, always sold out online. Never for sale locally.

 

[Baldguy]

Anyone have experience with Eritrean Butterflyfish? Are they like many butterflies and munch on lps? My lfs has some and they are so beautiful!

 

[i cant think]

This butterfly is often brought in and mistaken for the Xanthurus and Mertensii, I find many LFSs don’t realise they’re 3 different species altogether and not just 3 variants.
As for hardiness, they’re like their cousins and are actually rather easy to keep. The issue is they tend to go for fleshy LPS like Scolymia, Trachyphillia and I’ve had some cases where they go for fluffy SPS like millepora, they tend to avoid most SPS though.

 

[Big E]

I've seen them starting to come in of late and they get snatched up quick. I'd go for it asap. I'm different in that it's about the fish first, not what it will or won't eat in the reef.

 

[i cant think]

I've seen them starting to come in of late and they get snatched up quick. I'd go for it asap. I'm different in that it's about the fish first, not what it will or won't eat in the reef.

I’m the same, I have 2 tanks for that reason - One for the Softies and LPS that aren’t eaten by my RSWC fish and one for my SPS and more prized nano fish.

If I didn’t have a CBB in my 4’ tank an Eritrean would be high on my list.

 

[dennis romano]

I have kept C. mertensi and C. xanthurus and have found them to be extremely aggressive for butterflies. They had to be removed. Maybe, others had better experiences. So, bad that I had a recent chance to get an Eritrean that I turned it down.

 

[Baldguy]

I've got candy canes and several Euphyllia. A big pectinia too. Possible fish problems might be a two spot tang and a one spot foxface. What do you think?

 

[dennis romano]

I've got candy canes and several Euphyllia. A big pectinia too. Possible fish problems might be a two spot tang and a one spot foxface. What do you thi

I would not trust it with your LPS. You would be shocked at how fast they would make the LPS disappear.

 

[Baldguy]

I would not trust it with your LPS. You would be shocked at how fast they would make the LPS disappear.

Yep, I'll take your advice. Just saved $450.

 

[Wizard677]

I know a yellowtail pearlscale butterfly (Chaetodon xanthurus) are capable of decimating acan, favia, and candy canes at an amazing rate lol

 

[Tamberav]

How are they with soft corals?

 

[dennis romano]

I have tried every type of coral even nems with butterflies. Everything is food to them.

 

[i cant think]

How are they with soft corals?

Softies tend to be safe, most soft corals are toxic and not eaten when they’re healthy. When they start dying or not doing well I find they get predated on. Generally Leathers and mushrooms are avoided along with less fleshy LPS (Euphyllia, Fimbriaphyllia and Duncanopsammia are often ignored as well).

 

[Big E]

Softies tend to be safe, most soft corals are toxic and not eaten when they’re healthy. When they start dying or not doing well I find they get predated on. Generally Leathers and mushrooms are avoided along with less fleshy LPS (Euphyllia, Fimbriaphyllia and Duncanopsammia are often ignored as well).

That's kind of what I have researched as well. Some I know will prefer to eat soft coral like the C. rafflesi but I'm sure it will eat other corals as well.

More or less you just gotta experiment and see.

When I had semilarvatus they destroyed mushrooms. I didn't try out a lot of corals back then. I remember putting an acro in a plastic bag and they went nuts trying to get at it

 

[i cant think]

That's kind of what I have researched as well. Some I know will prefer to eat soft coral like the C. rafflesi but I'm sure it will eat other corals as well.

More or less you just gotta experiment and see.

When I had semilarvatus they destroyed mushrooms. I didn't try out a lot of corals back then. I remember putting an acro in a plastic bag and they went nuts trying to get at it

I have a reef that is mixed but heavy with leathers and mushrooms, my C. rostratum ignored my yuma mushrooms but he demolishes BTA anemones yet ignores my mini maxi.