Question about a long nose butterfly fish.
- Thread starter Dwb5
- Start date
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In short, fishes that pick will determine what coral you can and cannot keep successfully. Frags stand little chance with fishes that like to nip (namley benthic feeders). Grown out colonies can take a bit of picking here and there. So if you're growing out corals from frags, let them grown into good sized colonies prior to adding a nipper. Also make sure your corals are in great health, any struggling coral is sure to go downhill once it's being nipped.
More specific to the fish in question, I would avoid really fleshy LPS such as Scolymia, Acanthophyllia, Acanthastrea, etc.
Leathers, SPS, and some other LPS are generally harmed less by nippers, but there is no guarantee.
More specific to the fish in question, I would avoid really fleshy LPS such as Scolymia, Acanthophyllia, Acanthastrea, etc.
Leathers, SPS, and some other LPS are generally harmed less by nippers, but there is no guarantee.
I have one, he's so peaceful, when he was first added my coral beauty would try to bully him at first but he just flared his fins pointed them to the CB and it stopped. Mine ate from day one and will eat everything.
Not sure about corals but apparently acans can be tasted, but I think sometimes it looks like they are eating coral when really they are picking critters of them. But someone with more experience will chrime in
they are generally considered pretty reef safe but like anything in this hobby you could get a rogue. I keep all my fish well feed so hopefully that will help.
But I love mine,
Not sure about corals but apparently acans can be tasted, but I think sometimes it looks like they are eating coral when really they are picking critters of them. But someone with more experience will chrime in
they are generally considered pretty reef safe but like anything in this hobby you could get a rogue. I keep all my fish well feed so hopefully that will help.But I love mine,
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Long nose butterflies are pretty safe with corals. Tube worms, clams, duncans acans, scolys are at greatest risk.
Always Reefin'
Community Member
I have found it is very difficult to find a healthy specimen for long-term success, they are shy deliberate feeders and their beak can get into powerheads.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
My experiences with longnoses, is that while not a 'bulletproof 'bulletproof' fish, are not nearly as particular as copperbands, and that they fare quite well in aquaria.
slosoak
Community Member
I have had good luck with them also, the larger the tank the better. Have also found that once they eat during the free feed they are less likely to nip. P.E. mysis seem to help get them feeding stronger.
joro
That Guy
I have a CopperBand Butterfly (CBB) in a 90G reef with both Acans and a number of euphyllias (Duncans, Frogspawn, etc) and haven't had any problem with nipping. That said, I QTed her for almost 2 months making sure she was eating very well and while she's still a little more shy than the others at feeding time she definitely doesn't miss a meal 
. In QT I started with live blackworms (which she loved) and then gradually she became interested in PE Mysis. Oddly enough, now she won't even look at the live blackworms but chows down on PE Mysis. I've also had good success with the clams on the half shell mentioned previously as use that more as of a treat.
. In QT I started with live blackworms (which she loved) and then gradually she became interested in PE Mysis. Oddly enough, now she won't even look at the live blackworms but chows down on PE Mysis. I've also had good success with the clams on the half shell mentioned previously as use that more as of a treat.
My Australian CB ate my Seriatopora, doesn't touch acros and any softie. Go figure, now I'm afraid that anything new I would add to the tank is going to be a potential dinner. Hopefully it won't touch zoas, my plan for the tanks is lots of small zoas and Acroporas near the top.
Yeah just make sure they have no flavours or anything added, mine sells plain Scollops and clams. With Scollops I remove the big white part which I think is mussel as none o the fish eat that.
With the clams the whole thing gets devoured by all the fish like a pack of piranha!
With the clams the whole thing gets devoured by all the fish like a pack of piranha!
