Reef safe butterfly?

[larisa Raykh]

Is there reef safe butterflies? (Not copperband)

 

[KMench]

Depends on your risk tolerance. Yellow longnose butterfly is so-so. Pyramid butterflies are supposed to be “reef safe”

 

[Highgrade]

Is there reef safe butterflies? (Not copperband)

Truly no butterfly is reefsafe when it comes to LPS. IMO I'd say the safest is the Tinkeri from Hawaii which the price has gone up due to demand and collection out of Hawaii.

 

[Maritimer]

Don't think there are any that are 100%, but folks have had some success with the pyramid butterflies, the ones in the burgessi / tinkeri group, Chaetodon semilarvatus and the schooling bannerfish.

~Bruce

 

[Skremk]

I've kept both Pyramid and Zoster butterflies before and both have been fine. I kept the Pyramids for about 3 years and never saw them take a nip of anything. The Zosters I've had for 2 years. They take a nip here and there from my LPS, but they don't seem to bother SPS or softies.

 

[4FordFamily]

This doesn’t exist, but as mentioned I think a common consensus is that pyramid and bannerfish are close and pose the least risk.

 

[EmdeReef]

I’ve had good experience with a Tahitian butterfly (Chaetodon trichrous) - hasn’t touched anything in over 2yrs (I have had mostly sps a few lps), although again none are 100% safe and most will develop appetite for scolys, brains and “meaty” corals though. Like with angels you need to have a backup if you decide to get one. Gorgeous fish otherwise. Good luck!

 

[Kremis]

my 2 pyramids are almost completely coral safe. they eat any xenia-like coral, including clove polyps
one of them even eats aptasia which is nice