butterfly's

[tangmang23]

Im looking to add a butterfly fish to my 120 gallon reef tank. I understand these fish are either NO, or with caution as far as being okay with coral. There has been vast experience with butterflys in a reef tank, id like to hear about yours. What fish did you have and how is/was it with coral. I owned a copper band for a while, but he wouldnt eat anything other then feather dusters and mysid shrimp, well needless to say this was not enough food for him.

[Geoff]

in general butterflies are coral eaters. this is why they are not recommended in a reef tank. there are few that have shown (reported) to be specific feeders, hence the raccoon butterfly and the copper band being used to remove aiptasia (supposedly).

there are a few that are reef safe, though they are not often seen in the trade. there are two species of pyramid butterflies that are reef safe. those in the Hemitaurichthys genus are planktonivores, mainly interested in only food in the water column. tends to not pick off of surfaces.

then there is the schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes), which is easily confused with the non reef safe bannerfish (H. acuminatus). this differentiation will take some practice before you will tell the difference between these two species.

G~