Looking at getting a butterfly for my reef

badstorm48 · Mar 14, 2017

I was looking at a butterfly, but I'm pretty nervous about it since I have a mixed reef with a little of everything. If it eats zoas I'm not really worried since I don't care for those corals but do have some. I do have some acros which I like but I'm more of a fan of lps corals any way. I was looking at the blue cheek butterfly, but am looking at something that gets a little smaller like the tinkeri butterfly but not 400 dollars unless if there is a great chance it will survive. I'm not a fan of the copperband butterfly or the long nose forcep butterfly. Also, one that has greater odds of being reef safe. I have a 70 gallon with just a Christmas wrasse, tribal blenny, hi fin goby, and ocellaris clown fish in there right now. Tank has been up for a year now.

Roy 9121 · Mar 14, 2017

I would do your research, very few butterflys are reef safe and most need large tanks.

eatbreakfast · Mar 15, 2017

You will be hard pressed to find one that fits your criteria. Tinkeri, mitratus, and burgessi would work but are pricey. Perhaps the Atlantic longnose rather than forcipeger.

badstorm48 · Mar 17, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
You will be hard pressed to find one that fits your criteria. Tinkeri, mitratus, and burgessi would work but are pricey. Perhaps the Atlantic longnose rather than forcipeger.

Yeah those were the ones I was looking at. Right. Ow I'm thinking the burgessi just because of price and I like them. Though liveaquaria says that they may eat anemones is this true?

eatbreakfast · Mar 17, 2017

badstorm48 said:
Yeah those were the ones I was looking at. Right. Ow I'm thinking the burgessi just because of price and I like them. Though liveaquaria says that they may eat anemones is this true?

It's a possibility, but not likely.

badstorm48 · Mar 17, 2017

Okay. I'm trying to do some research on how reef safe they are and how hardy they are. Do you know about any of these? I've read they are very reef safe and haven't read once where it caused destruction so far with the few forums I've read, but don't see much on how hardy they are.

eatbreakfast · Mar 17, 2017

They about as reef safe as you can get for a butterfly.

They are moderately hardy. Neither bulletpriof nor frail.

badstorm48 · Mar 17, 2017

Okay good to know. Do you know what type of corals are some of their favorite to pick at if they do pick? I've read that it's mostly acans. Like I have a big plate corals and elegance coral that are my prized pieces I just want to know if they would be safe?

eatbreakfast · Mar 17, 2017

badstorm48 said:
Okay good to know. Do you know what type of corals are some of their favorite to pick at if they do pick? I've read that it's mostly acans. Like I have a big plate corals and elegance coral that are my prized pieces I just want to know if they would be safe?

Acans and scolys are most at risk. I don't have any experience with them and Fungiids.

badstorm48 · Mar 17, 2017

Okay that works for me then. I can have acans or Scolys because of my blenny he has a taste for them

Bluecbs · Mar 17, 2017

Heniochus diphreutus(schooling bannerfish) are planktivores and LA said reef compatible, but not so for heniochus acuminatus, also a bannerfish and they do look alike

I have two diphreutus and they eat from the water column, vry easy to feed, but i dont hve corals

I used to have an acuminatus, also eat frm the water column but also like to peck at liverock ( this behavior may suggest not vry reef safe)

badstorm48 · Mar 17, 2017

That's a thought as well, but I was leaning more towards the burgessi and declivis. More towards the declivis I can get one for 200 at my lfs which from what I see is a good buy

badstorm48 · Mar 18, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
They about as reef safe as you can get for a butterfly.

They are moderately hardy. Neither bulletpriof nor frail.

Do you know anything about the Marshall Islands Hybrid Roaps Butterfly? Seem really cool and am looking at them and from what live aquaria is saying, they are easy to keep, but I don't know if they are as reef safe as the declivis.

eatbreakfast · Mar 18, 2017

badstorm48 said:
Do you know anything about the Marshall Islands Hybrid Roaps Butterfly? Seem really cool and am looking at them and from what live aquaria is saying, they are easy to keep, but I don't know if they are as reef safe as the declivis.

It will be comparable in care and reef-safeness.

badstorm48 · Mar 18, 2017

@eatbreakfast I really appreciate the info and help in my decision of adding a butterfly into my reef. Thank you

badstorm48 · Mar 19, 2017

I ended up getting the declivis off of diversden. Excited to see how it goes. Comes in on Tuesday

badstorm48 · Mar 21, 2017

Just got the declivis butterfly in and acclimating it. Looks very healthy just stressed for right now with me messing with the bag and all that. I have it floating for 15 min and then I'm going to do a shot glass full of my tank water into its water about 5 times every 5 minutes. Going to feed the other fish to help reduce any possible aggression which there should be none.

eatbreakfast · Mar 21, 2017

Do not do a long acclimation with a shipped fish. Ammonia build up will be very dangerous.

pickupman66 · Mar 21, 2017

If so, be sure to put some Prime in the water. I have had Great luck with the Yellow Pyramids for being reef safe. I have also had a few Copper Bands that if you can get one that eats well and is healthy, they can do well. mine decimated Aptasia before he learned to eat frozen.

badstorm48 · Mar 21, 2017

I didn't do a long acclimation I was going to do the acclimation guide that live aquaria advises, but I did the 15 minute float and then I did a few shot glasses of my water into its bag. Waited 5 minutes and then plopped him in the tank using a net. He's a little skiddish and hiding right now. Everyone else is still sleeping sort of. My lights turn on at 4 so he has plenty of time to relax and get adjusted before the tank wakes up.