Heniochus butterflies

[stan450z]

I have a 75g FOWLR, 10 year old tank with no
Major problems and great water parameters. Current tank mates have gotten along for a couple years. I have a tomato clown, very peaceful blue damsel (10 years old) large blue chromis, and a coral beauty - small. All fish only 3 inches max. I added in a pair of small Heniochus, 3-4 inches. At that point we’re about the same size if not the largest in the tank. Got along fine, ate well then all of a sudden after about 6 weeks I lost 1 and lost the other a week later which is a decent amount of time. I was very puzzled. They didn’t seem bullied at all. I drip acclimate all my fish as I have done for years without issues.

I feed about half a cube per day to these guys daily alternating between mysis, spirulina/brine, and mega marine angel.

I want to give it another go - so any advice may be helpful. Different number maybe 3 or 4? Rearrange rocks? Different food? Maybe it was just a fluke? Pics attached from the side view of my tank when they were in there.

 

[Sniperhank]

I would assume that there was bullying that simply wasn't being seen. These fish usually require a much larger tank, in the 6 ft range along with very peaceful tankmates. Though they are usually pretty easy to care for, they are quite sensitive from acclimation to bullying. With the tank mates you described, I'd just say that there wasn't enough room for so many semi aggressive fish already in the system with established territories.

 

[Andy Sager]

For a 6 week span to die off, sounds more like a dietary issue to me than anything else. I can't see the tank as a whole but they do need a fair amount of swimming space so if that was supplied, then I'd work more on the foods. A larger mixture of proteins and vegetable matter should be given. I would feed mine fresh clams on the half shell ( I would get clams at the fish market, slice in half then freeze) weekly combined with shrimps, scallops, and fish plus fish eggs when available. But even with all this, their survival rate when up when I started adding pieces of live corals to their diet. So you may want to consider this before adding them again.

 

[stan450z]

For a 6 week span to die off, sounds more like a dietary issue to me than anything else. I can't see the tank as a whole but they do need a fair amount of swimming space so if that was supplied, then I'd work more on the foods. A larger mixture of proteins and vegetable matter should be given. I would feed mine fresh clams on the half shell ( I would get clams at the fish market, slice in half then freeze) weekly combined with shrimps, scallops, and fish plus fish eggs when available. But even with all this, their survival rate when up when I started adding pieces of live corals to their diet. So you may want to consider this before adding them again.

Thanks so much! I agree, must have been diet and thanks for the suggestions on food.