Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish

[MelanieF]

In Scott W. Michael's "Marine Fishes" book he describes the Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) as follows:

"In most cases, these fish seem to ignore corals, but they have been reported to feed on stony and soft coral polyps in the wild. Will also eat tubeworms and nip at sea urchin tube feet."

I would love to eventually put one of these fish into my reef tank. I have many different kinds of coral currently and don't want to structure the coral life around a particular fish's diet. Do any of you have any personal experiences that would confirm whether or not these fish are coral-safe?

Thanks in advance for your input! :wink:

 

[MelanieF]

Nevermind...

Unless there is further information, I found some details in the Fish section. I tried using the search engine before posting the original questions and it didn't pull up the information that is in the Fish section. Sorry for taking up space here but it seems that this is one fish that doesn't get talked about very much...

 

[Len]

I've tried them before and they nip on LPS corals. They completely ravaged an Open Brain Coral. I do not consider them reef safe.

 

[MelanieF]

Thanks Len. That's the first bad experience I've heard of so I think I'll just keep my ears open and wait to make a decision.

Curiosity question... Did you try only one? I've heard that within species they are all individuals and that even though one may have done that another one may not.

 

[SpecialK]

I have one and he leave's all my corals alone...Knock on wood. lol
The only problem I have had with him, was picking at my snails and killed 3 of them, I upped his food and now he leaves them alone. I feed small portions to him 4 times per day, I am also going to start putting in clam on a 1/2 shell for him to pick at from the market.

Kaye

 

[MelanieF]

Thank SpecialK,

Is the one you have an adult yet or still a juvenile? How long have you had it?

Last question I promise... What kinds of corals do you have in your tank w/ it?

TIA,

Mel

 

[GSchiemer]

I find it funny that no matter what fish someone asks about for inclusion in a reef aquarium, someone will respond that they have one and it never bothers corals. It could be a killer whale and someone will have a story about how they've seen one in a reef tank.

There are no guarantees when it comes to fish in reef aquariums. All we can talk about with certainty are the propensities of individual species. This article I wrote about angelfish in reef aquariums expounds on some of this (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/Fish.htm).

Greg

 

[MelanieF]

GScheimer,

Thanks for the link to your article. Your words match those of my friend at the LFS pretty much to the tee when it comes to angels. I understand that there are never any guarantees when it comes to fish but figured some feedback might give me an inkling as to if they are 75% likely to eat corals or only 10%.

Have you or your friends ever had a Longnose Butterflyfish?

Thanks again for your reply.

Melanie

 

[SpecialK]

I have only had mine for a month now, but I watch him very close. He is about 3" not sure when they reach adulthood. I have all types of corals in my tank, they do pick at sponges so I purchased one that was dying for him.
I read the article also, GSchiemer is the butterfly in the same family as an angel fish? or did i miss something in there. Please let me know.

Thank you,
Kaye

 

[GSchiemer]

I don't have experience with the long-nosed butterflies. I do know that they're more likely to pick at corals and clams than the similar copperband butterfly (Chelmon rostratus). If you have LPS corals and clams, then I would say that it's a bad choice.

How about an angelfish instead?

Greg

 

[MalibuPam]

I have one, about five inches long. I can't speak for corals, but he goes nuts for frozen cockles in the shell.

 

[SpecialK]

I placed a clam on the 1/2 shell in tonight that I purchased at the supermarket. We will see how it goes.

Kaye

 

[Anonymous]

Look in Fenner's book, he has a big spread on these guys. I'm not home now, but if I recall correctly he considers them reef safe, or at least one of the two species.

 

[Chooch]

I kept a Forcipiger flavissmus in a reef and it nipped at my Zooanthids, feather dusters, etc. I removed it at night when it was asleep.

The big long nosed butterfly, Forcipiger longirostris, is according to Scott Michael reef safe. I have also heard anecdotal accounts of it being reef safe but have never seen one in a reef tank myself. The downside is F. longirostris is more difficult to feed given the extra long snout.

As Greg and others have mentioned, propensities are about all you can generalize about. There are no hard and fast rules. All fish are individuals and don't read books. You just have to do a risk/reward anlysis and decide if the chance is worth it. Best of luck.

 

[GSchiemer]

I read the article also, GSchiemer is the butterfly in the same family as an angel fish? or did i miss something in there. Please let me know.

Thank you,
Kaye

Nope, butterflyfish and angelfish are in different families. I only pointed to the angelfish article to illustrate my point about fish being unpredictable.

Greg

 

[SpecialK]

GSchiemer I must say you are right!

Butterfly fish are not Invert safe. Last night my star was attacked to the point I don't think he will recover. And yes he is gone today. There was a guy looking for a healthy butterfly fish.

I did not want to do that but it was best. I did not get a trigger because I like my inverts.

Kaye

 

[Saltykirk]

Ahhhh...... I have a 18" Clown Trigger in my 33L gal reef & he doesn't eat anything..... just kidding.