Should I put my Flame Angel with my Racoon Butterfly?

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
So, I have an "observation" tank with a Racoon Butterfly in it and I have a "Quarantine Tank" with a Flame Angel in it. My display tank is in a fallow period after a Marine Ich outbreak. Both fish are healthy AFAIK.

My "observation" tank is clearly larger being a 32 gallon biocube than my "Quarantine Tank" which is a 13.5 gallon Fluval Sea.

Should I put my two fish together or wait until my Display Tank, which is much larger obviously, is ready to go? Think I would have compatibility problems?

"Observation Tank"

IMG_0210.JPG

"Quarantine Tank"
FlameAngelQT.jpeg
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Do You need one of the tanks for another fish maybe?

Yes. I’m wanting to buy an Auriga and put it in the QT so that it will be finished with QT when my display tank is ready and I can add both butterflies at the same time.

I COULD set up yet another tank. I have one. But, at some point my wife is going to kill me. :)
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
I'm in the same situation without the possible "angry Lady " part . I had to setup another observation tank due to a butt head tang I can't part with.
I gather You want butterfly's in a display. I also want 2 or 3 . I already have a Copper band .
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
I should note for everyone reading this thread, that most butterflies are not reef safe and that they usually eat corals, tube worms, and a lot of other stuff on live rock. Copperbands and long nose butterflies are exceptions to this.

It's really too bad they do this because otherwise butterflies are fantastic fish.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I'm in the same situation without the possible "angry Lady " part . I had to setup another observation tank due to a butt head tang I can't part with.
I gather You want butterfly's in a display. I also want 2 or 3 . I already have a Copper band .

Yes, I want to put both butterflies in the display at the same time to hope for less aggression.

I hear ya on the tang. I’ve started more 2nd tanks in my day because of aggressive fish I can’t part with...
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I should note for everyone reading this thread, that most butterflies are not reef safe and that they usually eat corals, tube worms, and a lot of other stuff on live rock. Copperbands and long nose butterflies are exceptions to this.

It's really too bad they do this because otherwise butterflies are fantastic fish.

My tank is a FOWLR. :) Well, this one is.

But, yes, good note.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
You go Pat, I'm working on a fish only as well ! Butterfly's or Bust !

Awesome!

You will have to update me on how it goes. I’m doing this on purpose both because I really like butterflies and to do something different. (Also, I’m not sure what the plural of butterfly really is when it comes to fish LOL).
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
On a related note, butterfly fish from my two LFS I most frequent all seem to have some disease. The store tells me it’s lymph and I agree it tends to look like lymph, which I read butterfly fish are prone to.

But, I just finished treating successfully for Marine Ich, so it’s made me paranoid. At least, my Racoon had a bunch of spots on it before TTM amd then had no spots 6 days later after two transfers. So, I’m assuming that’s a good indication it had Ich. My problem is I can’t tell lymph from Ich. Not really. I kinda can, but only kinda.

I’m starting to think I’m going to treat the next butterfly I buy pro-actively for Marine Ich just in case.

Now that I have a good copper test, I’m comfortable treating with copper and it’s way easier. However, I also had great success with tank transfer and I imagine it’s easier on the fish cause no meds.

Any thoughts on what I should do? Copper, TTM, or nothing? Does it matter? That is, assuming the next fish I buy has white dots and it probably will.
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
I'm also having a real hard time finding a healthy fish . I lost a Pearlscale & Puntata 2 in a row. I'm paranoid as well !
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I'm also having a real hard time finding a healthy fish . I lost a Pearlscale & Puntata 2 in a row. I'm paranoid as well !

FWIW, I thought I wanted a pearlscale and maybe I still do, but my LFS says they have a really hard time getting ones in they can keep alive. They said most of the time after they received them they were dead in 24 hours. So, they steered me towards and Auriga. I’m still open about it, though.
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
You need to be very careful with the various species of butterfly fish. Some are easy to take care of and about as indestructible as a SW fish can be. Others seem to die if you look at them funny.

I'd say a raccoon butterfly and an auriga are easy to keep. Others like a pearlscale are possible, but you really need to make sure you get a healthy one that is eating well. Some like a four eye butterfly are very difficult. Check carefully before you buy. Smart phones are good for this.

Sometimes you see your LFS have a tank of "mixed butterflys" which has a bunch of different species either they or their supplier didn't want to bother to sort out. Often there are fairly drab species, but sometimes you see something that is really nice and at a very reasonable price.
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Hello , Pat I hope You don't mind me jumping in here. This really should go in my 180 build. I did buy a nice raccoon butterfly today . He's in a 20 long Qt pecking at "some" food . Real pretty fish. Can't wait to get it in the big tank ! I also got a tiny clown goby for the 75 reef. I mean tiny !
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Hello , Pat I hope You don't mind me jumping in here. This really should go in my 180 build. I did buy a nice raccoon butterfly today . He's in a 20 long Qt pecking at "some" food . Real pretty fish. Can't wait to get it in the big tank ! I also got a tiny clown goby for the 75 reef. I mean tiny !

That’s awesome! I love my raccoon! Great looking fish!

Keep me up to date. Hopefully I’ll learn from your experiences. Also, pics. :)
 
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cracker

Well-Known Member
Is Your raccoon eating well? Mine was eating a little of my fish food mix. After a chunk of clam on a rock then oyster it's pigging out ! I have a feeling I'm over reacting like a worried father !
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Is Your raccoon eating well? Mine was eating a little of my fish food mix. After a chunk of clam on a rock then oyster it's pigging out ! I have a feeling I'm over reacting like a worried father !

Pigging out is always awesome!

My raccoon has always eaten very well, but I gather I got a little lucky. My understanding is that sometimes it takes a bit to get butterflies to eat well. Mine would even eat flakes right from start, but I think that’s not really a normal thing to expect to start.

I do think butterflies are a little harder to take care of. So, it sounds like you did a good job getting yours to eat.

I checked out more at my LFS today and every single one has white spots. Some it really looks like lymph and some it looks like it could be Ich. I’m going to check out some other stores and see if it’s the same thing.

I’m looking for a good Auriga, but I’ve checked out 3 stores so far and they don’t have one I want.
 
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