Butterfly Fish - Aquarium Advice

Feynman · 11-02-2004, 01:46 PM

I have one african butterfly fish and I was thinking about getting another one. I have read things going both ways concerning keeping multiple butterfly fish together. Some say yes, some say no. Does anyone have any personal experience trying this, or know someone who has?

The tank they would go in is a 38 [acronym:60aa68d208="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:60aa68d208] rectangle tank. Its got floating plants (fake) at the surface etc...

Also, if it IS ok for multiple (meaning 2) butterfly fish, is there a preference about pairing sexes? Such as 2 females, 1 female 1 male, or 2 males? And, if there is... how do I tell them apart and find out what sex the one I have now is? I haven't been able to discern this based on descriptions I've read on the web.

Thanks!!!!

Feynman · 11-02-2004, 07:40 PM

No African Butterfly Fish Fans huh????

Menagerie · 11-02-2004, 08:47 PM

PM Fruitbat or Toirtis, they may be able to help.

Fruitbat · 11-02-2004, 08:51 PM

Feynman....

I've got three African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi) in one of my 20 gallon long grow-out tanks. There are two males and a female. The males have each staked out a spot at opposite ends of the tank and, should one blunder into the other's territory, a brief skirmish occurs and the intruder quickly leaves. The female cruises the entire tank without getting much attention from the males (they're young and haven't figured things out yet

).

There are a couple of characteristics that will help you distinguish the males from the females.
1) The back edge of the anal fin (bottom of the body...right in front of the tail) is straight in females but uneven (and generally longer) in males.
2) Viewed from the top, males are slimmer and have proportionately larger 'wings' (pectoral fins).

The fish in the picture below is a male. Look at the anal fin....see how the fin rays toward the bottom are much longer, giving the fin an uneven back edge?

SoylentGrundy · 11-02-2004, 09:59 PM

niiiice pic!

Feynman · 11-03-2004, 01:26 PM

Fruitbat

Thank you for the excellant description of your butterflys and the fantastic picture. I've read stuff online about the anal fin and how to tell them apart, but I couldn't quite figure out what they were talking about until you had the description and the picture together.

11-02-2004, 01:46 PM	#1
Feynman Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 108	Butterfly Fish I have one african butterfly fish and I was thinking about getting another one. I have read things going both ways concerning keeping multiple butterfly fish together. Some say yes, some say no. Does anyone have any personal experience trying this, or know someone who has? The tank they would go in is a 38 [acronym:60aa68d208="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:60aa68d208] rectangle tank. Its got floating plants (fake) at the surface etc... Also, if it IS ok for multiple (meaning 2) butterfly fish, is there a preference about pairing sexes? Such as 2 females, 1 female 1 male, or 2 males? And, if there is... how do I tell them apart and find out what sex the one I have now is? I haven't been able to discern this based on descriptions I've read on the web. Thanks!!!!

11-02-2004, 07:40 PM	#2
Feynman Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 108	No African Butterfly Fish Fans huh???? __________________ 38 [acronym:11fd5fdd00="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:11fd5fdd00] planted 8 rummy nose tetra 2 kribs 1 upside-down catfish 1 [acronym:11fd5fdd00="Siamese Algae Eater"]SAE[/acronym:11fd5fdd00] 10 [acronym:11fd5fdd00="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:11fd5fdd00] planted 1 female betta 1 african brown knifefish 1 [acronym:11fd5fdd00="Siamese Algae Eater"]SAE[/acronym:11fd5fdd00]

11-02-2004, 08:47 PM	#3
Menagerie Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 11,266 Images: 77	PM Fruitbat or Toirtis, they may be able to help. __________________

11-02-2004, 08:51 PM	#4
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	Feynman.... I've got three African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi) in one of my 20 gallon long grow-out tanks. There are two males and a female. The males have each staked out a spot at opposite ends of the tank and, should one blunder into the other's territory, a brief skirmish occurs and the intruder quickly leaves. The female cruises the entire tank without getting much attention from the males (they're young and haven't figured things out yet ). There are a couple of characteristics that will help you distinguish the males from the females. 1) The back edge of the anal fin (bottom of the body...right in front of the tail) is straight in females but uneven (and generally longer) in males. 2) Viewed from the top, males are slimmer and have proportionately larger 'wings' (pectoral fins). The fish in the picture below is a male. Look at the anal fin....see how the fin rays toward the bottom are much longer, giving the fin an uneven back edge? __________________ Loaches: Botia almorhae, B. kubotai, B. striata, Noemacheilus triangularis, Schistura sp.aff.nicholsi, S. vinciguerre, Sinibotia robusta, Vaillantella maassi Bichirs: Polypterus senegalus, P. senegalus (albino), P. delhezi, P. sp. 'Congo', P. palmas polli, P.weeksii, P. ornatipinnis, P. palmas buettikoferi, P. retropinnis, P. endlicheri congicus, Polypterus bichir lapradei, P. palmas palmas, Erpetoichthys calabaricus Anabantids: Ctenopoma acutirostre, Ct. ocellatum, Ct. oxyrhynchum, Ct. kingsleyae, Microctenopoma ansorgii, Mct. fasciolatum, Trichogaster trichopterus, Belontia signata, B. hasselti, Anabas testudineus, Macropodus opercularis, Betta splendens Catfish: Dekeyseria sp. (L-052)Sturiosoma panamense, Hypancistrus inspector (L-201), Synodontis eupterus, Synodontis nigrita, Synodontis brichardi, Synodontis soloni, Anaspidoglanis macrostoma Barbs/Rasboras: Capoeta tetrazona, Rasbora borapetensis, Labeo cyclorhynchus Tetras: Phenacogrammus interruptus Other: Xenomystus nigri, Papyrocranus afer, Pantodon buchholzi, Oxymormyrus boulengeri, Protopterus annectens andPhractolaemus ansorgei

11-02-2004, 09:59 PM	#5
SoylentGrundy Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kansas Posts: 229 Images: 6	niiiice pic! __________________ Don't dream it, be it.

11-03-2004, 01:26 PM	#6
Feynman Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 108	Fruitbat Thank you for the excellant description of your butterflys and the fantastic picture. I've read stuff online about the anal fin and how to tell them apart, but I couldn't quite figure out what they were talking about until you had the description and the picture together.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Butterfly Fish	roka64	Saltwater Reef Aquaria	5	10-02-2007 10:38 AM
Long Nose butterfly better than Copper Banded Butterfly?	TheChad	Saltwater Reef Aquaria	24	02-24-2007 01:48 AM
Butterfly fish?	Pghjeff71	Saltwater Reef Aquaria	7	04-17-2005 07:03 PM
african butterfly fish	nimbus46	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	9	02-19-2005 08:39 PM
Butterfly fish	dobby	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	3	06-10-2004 06:36 PM