reef friendly butterfly or angel?

[Guest]

For a basic, hardy reef with mushrooms, polyps, are there any friendly butterfly fish or angels anyone could recommend?

Thanks.

 

[reefrunner69]

There are a couple of Atlantic/Carribean butterflys that are considered "reef safe"; four eyed butterfly and the carribean reef butterfly, there is also the copperband, but I don't know how it might treat the polyps..

Most angels, as well as butterflys , are very destructive to a reef tank. The only angel that has not had issues (that I'm aware of) is the Cherub angel (C. argi), other than that, your taking your chances. Som will...Some won't...Some won't for years and then all of a sudden one day decide your reef looks like lunch.

 

[Rye]

for angels if you are going to try it i would stick to one of the dwaf angels.. as in like a fire or a coral beauty...never heard anyone saying they had a problem with thosewhen i worked at the fish store... bi- color's are nice but i didi have someone bring one back cause it did nip on polyps. i wouldnt recommend any of the biggier angels thats for sure

 

[steve-s]

With the current load of large fish in your tank, I would already suggest you've gone past your limits.

a 56 gal tank that has a yellow tang, kole tang and a flame angel (all about the same size, 2-3 inches)

I would be wary of adding any more large growing fish and would actually suggest taking one that you have now back to the LFS. I would instead suggest clowns, blennies, gobies or other smaller growing fish.

Cheers
Steve