New Unidentified Butterflyfish

[SunWyrm]

I "rescued" this little guy the other day, and I can't ID him at all! Hoping someone might have seen something closer than what I can come up with. I bought him as a milletseed/citron though dolosus is closer, neither are quite spot on.

 

Here is his best pic so far in my qt.

 

[Jan]

Xanthurus Cream Angelfish? Copps might know.

[Valeria]

definitely a butterflyfish

[Valeria]

Speckled Butterflyfish

[Jan]

There you go!

[John]

+1 or a maybe a Lemon Butterflyfish (Milletseed Butterflyfish)

Edited April 21, 2012 by John

[Coral Hind]

I agree with Valeria that it looks like a Speckled butterfly. The Milletseed has a black spot in the middle of the tail while the Speckled has the black bar on the bottom of the anal fin.

[SunWyrm]

Thanks for all your help! He's doing great so far, they have a neat personality.

[Incredible Corals]

That fish is stunning. Nice find.

[copps]

Yup... 100% Chaetodon citrinellus (speckled butterfly). Good luck!

 

Copps

[SunWyrm]

Thanks guys!

 

He's still doing really well, eating flakes and frozen. I'm trying the same thing I did with my angels, to see if it will work. I'm going to keep him well fed and away from corals for a long time, then see how reef safe he is after several months.

Maybe it will work, who knows.

[Coral Hind]

That's a smart technique. Keep us posted on how it works with the butterfly.

[copps]

Thanks guys!

 

He's still doing really well, eating flakes and frozen. I'm trying the same thing I did with my angels, to see if it will work. I'm going to keep him well fed and away from corals for a long time, then see how reef safe he is after several months.

Maybe it will work, who knows.

 

I own over forty angels, with most in reefs, and a number of butterfly species also in reefs... this species is not even worth trying in a reef in my opinion as coral polyps make up part of its natural diet... the only Chaetodon genus butterflies worth trying in my opinion are the more zooplanktivorous members... like Chaetodon kleinii or perhaps C. miliaris... along those lines...

 

John

[SunWyrm]

Well that solves that then! He can go in my 180 with my other non-coral safe fish. Thanks Copps!

[SunWyrm]

Additionally, since my 180 will be filled with macro algaes, do you know how they would do in a refugium like environment?

 

 

[copps]

They will be fine in this type of an environment... but be aware that these fish are voracious hunters of all "pods" and so if your idea is to provide refuge to these little animals then you could kiss that off by adding this fish. If your idea is to have a nice display of macroalgaes this fish will not bother most of them.

 

Hope that helps!

 

John

[SunWyrm]

First of all thank you for the info and letting me pick your brain a bit. My intent mostly a nice display of macros, and have the added bonus of tons of pods. I'm also being talked into keeping our 75 running for just our clown pair and several anemones, and I'm wondering how this situation would do as well for the butterfly. I have lots of options for him, just need to figure out what would be best.

 

Much thanks!

[copps]

No sweat! If you want a ton of pods you'll have to forgo most fish there, including this guy... and many Chaetodon species will prey on anemones if allowed to by clownfish (or the lack thereof)...

 

John

[SunWyrm]

Only fish that are for sure going in there are a large snowflake eel and a dog faced puffer. Although I would really like to simplify my life for awhile and get down to 3-4 tanks instead of having them everywhere lol.

[SunWyrm]

In case anyone's interested, here's some updated pics. I can't capture his colors well, but at least he's fat and happy.