Butterflyfish (1 Viewer)

[KarenHorn]

Okay, I want to hear everyones sucess stories with butterflies. I know they are generally not considered reef safe, but I also know there are several of you out there that have kept butterlies successfully in your reef. What species have you kept and did you do anything to encourage them to leave your corals, clams etc alone?

 

[Guest]

Karen, I think about the only butterfly that I would consider even 50/50 reef safe would be the copperband. They don't have a very good tank survival record but they are as close to keeping a "butterfly" in a reef as one might get. They will go through your fan worm population if that matters.

Now on the other hand like my pakistani butterfly it is no way reef safe and I doubt any of the butterflies like the pearlscale, masked, teardrop, banded etc could ever be kept in a reef type tank. They just can't be trained to not eat corals IMO.

 

[KarenHorn]

I was curious because I had read that the long nose "might" be safe, but wanted to hear if anyone else had had any experiences with any others beside the copperband.

 

[Cakepro]

I had a Heniochus Butterfly that was a model citizen in my tank. They will decimate your tube worms as Sue mentioned and every spaghetti worm and other kind of worm in your sand bed, though.

~ Sherri