What coral do butterflyfish eat?

How many butterflyfish are corallivores?

Butterflyfish constitute a large percentage of the known corallivores; of the 128 known corallivorous fish species, 69 are butterflyfish species. Additionally, 50% of butterflyfish species are corallivores, making corallivory their most common feeding method. Corallivorous fish come from 11 different families. 39 species are obligate corallivores.

How many species of butterflyfish are there?

V ery few groups of tropical marine fishes can boast such a multicolored body pattern like the butterflyfish. This marine family – scientific name Chaetodontidae, from the ancient Greek, it means “brush-teeth” – includes 114 different species belonging to 10 genera, of which the genus Chaetodon is the most abundant in terms of number of species.

Are butterflyfish corallivores or omnivores?

Butterflyfish constitute a large percentage of the known corallivores; of the 128 known corallivorous fish species, 69 are butterflyfish species. Additionally, 50% of butterflyfish species are corallivores, making corallivory their most common feeding method.

Will a butterflyfish harm my corals?

Remember, a butterflyfish is ever curious, and they love exploring your tank with their mouths. An occasional harmless nip on your corals are to be expected, but most often than not it is not damaging. Do however, expect less polyp extension on your SPS.

What is the best butterflyfish for a reef tank?

The Pyramid Butterflyfish is your best bet for a reef safe butterflyfish, but is not guaranteed to leave corals alone; Triggerfish are known for their aggression and tendency to cause havoc in a reef tank, but if you’d like to try one you should likely go for the Crosshatch Trigger Fish ( Xanthichthys mento );

How to care for butterflyfish in aquarium?

Delight the Butterflyfish by keeping live water plants in the aquarium because this species is eco-friendly in nature. It is necessary to keep a filter in the tank of Butterflyfish so that the pollutants and dirt from the gravels, objects, and water of the aquariums can be easily clean.

Are butterflyfish aggressive to other fish?

The longnose butterflyfish is a moderately peaceful community fish that can be kept with most of the other peaceful, non-aggressive or non-predatorial reef aquarium fish. However, as mentioned earlier, they will be aggressive towards other longnose butterflies or even some other competing butterflies.

What do butterflyfish eat in the ocean?

Butterflyfish are present in tropical seas worldwide, often associated with coral reefs, many of them being obligate or facultative coral-feeders (‘obligate’ means they are able to feed only on coral polyps, while the facultative ones can even rely on other kind of food like algae, plankton or small invertebrates).

Are butterflyfish safe around corals?

Bear in mind there are few butterflyfishes that are considered even “relatively safe” around both, hard and soft corals, and by no means does this list imply that all fishes under each category pose zero threat.

What is a pyramid butterflyfish?

H. polylepis, or the pyramid butterflyfish, is an open water planktivore that group in the hundreds. Photo by flickr user crisymay. The genus Hemitaurichthys is sort of like the butterflyfish counterpart to the angelfish genus Genicanthus.

Can I keep long-nosed butterflies in my reef?

These long-nosed butterflies are relatively easy to keep, and take frozen foods such as brine and mysis shrimp very readily. They are however, not safe with small benthic creatures such as tube worms, feather worms and most other worms. Having kept these species numerous times, i’d say throw them in your reefs any day.

What is the safest butterflyfish to keep in a reef tank?

Photo by J. Charles Delbeek. The fishes in the genus Hemitaurichthys are widely considered to be the safest genus of butterflyfishes to place in a mixed reef aquarium.

What is the best way to keep a butterflyfish?

Copperband Butterflyfish should be kept in a peaceful marine community aquarium, ideally with a large reef, but this isn’t an option for everyone. At the bottom of the tank, create a layer of sand.

Is the copperband butterflyfish hard to keep?

Like many other butterflyfish species, the copperband butterflyfish is hard to keep, and best left for advanced reef keepers.

Are Prognathodes butterflies safe in a reef tank?

Prognathodes butterflies, like the Roaps, are deepwater water members and can be kept in your reef tank with some caution. While not nearly as safe as Forcipiger and Chelmon, these are not necessarily disastrous. Some nipping here and there but usually nothing really serious.

What fish are not good for a reef tank?

Butterflyfish are mostly polyp eaters and therefore a very poor choice for a reef tank. There are some butterflyfish that may be reef-compatible but research thoroughly before making a purchase. Grouper are beautiful fish but they are carnivorous and grow very large.

Can you keep butterflyfish in a tank?

Some species of Butterflyfish are hardy and adapt well to aquarium life, whereas others are near impossible to keep. Because Butterflyfish are extremely difficult to breed in captivity, it’s likely that your fish will need to adapt to tank life. They are also quite vulnerable to parasite infections.

Can butterflyfish live with other fish in a tank?

The specific specie of the butterflyfish determines what kind of tank mate best goes with them. Generally, the fish has no problem living with other breeds or species provided that the tank is large enough. Some fish however can be quite territorial and will attack others if they encroach into their zone. Butterflyfish mate for life.

What is the most hardy butterfly fish?

They’re probably one of the most hardy butterflies and stay on the smaller side. Chelmon rostratus aka the Copperband Butterflyfish is a common choice, but not the easiest fish. The others above will be more hardy.

What do butterflyfish need to survive?

Most species will require at least a 70 gallon tank, and with butterflyfish, larger is better, and will increase your chances of long term survivability and success. Feeding a proper and nutritious diet fed in small amounts several times per day is highly recommended. The natural food sources for each species will be listed.

Are butterflyfish safe in a 60 gallon?

Even the “safe” species can have rogue individuals that could decimate your tank in a day. Pyramid Butterflyfish are planktavors and are truly reef safe. I have a couple in my tank. Honestly, an awful lot of the butterflies on the list get pretty big for a 60 gallon tank, though that’s just my personal opinion . . .

Are there any saltwater fish that are reef safe?

There are thousands of different species of saltwater fish, but many of them are not reef-safe. If you are thinking about adding fish to your reef tank, consider one of these top recommended species of reef-safe fish:

Why are some fish not suitable for a reef tank?

The truth of the matter is that some species of fish simply are not compatible with a reef environment for one reason or another. Some saltwater fish feed on marine invertebrates or smaller species of fish, for example, and others dig through the tank substrate which can disturb corals and other tank inhabitants.