Pyramid Butterfly fish

[Lousybreed]

I almost never see them for sale but I have some questions. Are these fish pretty hardy? I have heard they are the best butterfly for a reef tank and are considered reef safe. Any tips or pointers would be appreciated! Where is the best place to find them for sale?

 

[Dempsey941]

It would appear our new sponsors @reefs4less have some available Here.
I have also seen them on Live Aquaria , and maybe one or two other sites.

 

[EmdeReef]

Pretty hardy but fairly shy and won’t do well if bullied. Once established will do fine, usually fun to have a small group. Agree, lately not an easy fish to find.

 

[AcroNem]

I also believe NYaquatic has them, and I've never had issues with his fish. They're awesome fish for sure

 

[lexinverts]

I had three of them until they starting eating my favias. Mine were not reef safe, unfortunately.

 

[oceans garden aquaculture]

It would appear our new sponsors @reefs4less have some available Here.
I have also seen them on Live Aquaria , and maybe one or two other sites.

We would be happy to help once we reopen shipping. Which I hope is really really soon..

 

[saltyhog]

I kept a trio for a long time. Mine were very hardy and very reef safe. They do tend to have problems with mouth injuries during shipping but if you get healthy ones they are very hardy. @ca1ore has kept them longer than anyone I know and helped me with getting mine healthy .

I'll try to find my video of mine later on.

Edit, here's my video.

 

[Lousybreed]

I need those in my life!

 

[JumboShrimp]

I had two LFSs trying to get 3 of them for me— after about 4 weeks one located 2 of them. I picked them up a day after they hit the store, and placed them into quarantine with no other fish. They both looked very healthy and active. One slowed and then stopped eating after a couple of days; I checked for flukes and saw none— but began General Cure. Long story short, despite some heroic life-saving efforts on my part, the one who would not eat died.

On the plus (+) side, the one that remained healthy is now doing well in a tank with some big boys— an Emperor Angel, Purple Tang, Harlequin Tusk, Lunar Wrasse, etc., and charges at food right in among them. One thing I didn’t know is that the Pyramid eats from the surface of the water as well (such as floating pellets). Overall, a great, great fish, and worth the wait.

 

[Rudefish]

I had two LFSs trying to get 3 of them for me— after about 4 weeks one located 2 of them. I picked them up a day after they hit the store, and placed them into quarantine with no other fish. They both looked very healthy and active. One slowed and then stopped eating after a couple of days; I checked for flukes and saw none— but began General Cure. Long story short, despite some heroic life-saving efforts on my part, the one who would not eat died.

On the plus (+) side, the one that remained healthy is now doing well in a tank with some big boys— an Emperor Angel, Purple Tang, Harlequin Tusk, Lunar Wrasse, etc., and charges at food right in among them. One thing I didn’t know is that the Pyramid eats from the surface of the water as well (such as floating pellets). Overall, a great, great fish, and worth the wait.

What was your quarantine process in terms of overall medication? I know you mentioned general cure, did you use cupermine or anything else?

 

[ApoIsland]

I kept a trio for a long time. Mine were very hardy and very reef safe. They do tend to have problems with mouth injuries during shipping but if you get healthy ones they are very hardy. @ca1ore has kept them longer than anyone I know and helped me with getting mine healthy .

I'll try to find my video of mine later on.

Edit, here's my video.

My apologies to the OP, but I can't resist going off topic.....That's a beautiful white tail bristletooth. How old is it? I have had an order in for one for 6 months and no luck. If I can ever get one I hope it looks as red as yours.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Sorry to say, @Rudefish , the one I thought was going to make it is in bad, bad shape now too. I had to take him out of my main DT. Fresh water dips was (-) for obvious flukes, so I think it goes beyond that at this point. More like internal 'tumors' if you will. Some random slash marks to the skin that I thought could have been caused by a surgeon fish won't heal; just a lot of problems that I trace back to two expensive fish coming in from the LFS supply-chain with one fin already in the grave.

 

[saltyhog]

My apologies to the OP, but I can't resist going off topic.....That's a beautiful white tail bristletooth. How old is it? I have had an order in for one for 6 months and no luck. If I can ever get one I hope it looks as red as yours.

That video was in 2014.....He's in a friends tank now. I had to rehome him when I moved in 2016.

 

[Zionas]

I have considered this species before, but would you say the Heniochus Bannerfish are hardier?

 

[JumboShrimp]

I believe they are in fact hardier, but know that H. Singularis can get quite large, and they are quick. This is mine, not even fully grown. (When fully grown, the black and white bands merge into a ‘carbon fiber’ looking pattern.) Right now (COVID-19 prices), I see that LiveAquaria has a Pyramid for $99 but a Singular Bannerfish for only $35. Really a great showpiece fish— but could become a ‘tank boss’ if all the other fish can’t hold their own.

 

[Zionas]

That’s a great looking fish. I’m planning to get two Longfins or Schooling Bannerfish for a 6 foot 180. Would that be too much? My other larger fish will be a Marine Betta, Yellow Tang, and yep, a Foxface.

As for the OP, how big is your tank? These fish can be kept singly but look better in a pair or trio, the Pyramid Butterflies.

 

[JumboShrimp]

6-foot 180 would be fine for two of them. I had to give away this H. Diphteutes to a friend (about the same size as a Pyramid, but check out the size of that banner!!... shame on my friend’s dirty tank) because it was getting beat up by the H. Singularis. Whatever you do, don’t accidentally mix them— which is what happened to me because several types of Banners can look alike; but THEY know the difference! Lol.

 

[Thaxxx]

I bought a trio from Live Aquaria last summer. As someone else here said they tend to be susceptible to mouth injury. Of the three I got, 2 died with in 3 days in quarantine. The one that lived I still have. He came in with a mouth injury. Upper lip. It slowly derioiated until he now longer has a upper lip. He's the biggest, fastest eater in my tank.

 

[Zionas]

Mouth injuries are a real bummer. Generally mouth injury=dead fish. You also see it a lot with Moorish Idols, Copperbands and fish like them but they’re not for the beginner or intermediate aquarist.

OP, to play it on the safe side, I’d say when it comes to this species, it’s probably better to inspect them at your LFS.

@JumboShrimp I’m glad you’re one of the few who have experience with the genus Heniochus. Since they’re among the most peaceful fish on my stocking list, would they be okay going in very early on. Would they be hardy and disease resistant enough to go in as the first fish or among the first fish? I love their looks.

 

[saltyhog]

Just be aware that the only bannerfish that's reef safe is H. dephreutes. Even though H. accuminatus looks very similar it's not a planktivore as dephreutes is .