Longnose Butterfly

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AlyG

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
45
Location
PA
Hello All! I am new at this forum. I recently started a salt water tank about 5 months ago & I have 2 Damsels, 2 clown & a longnose butterfly. I cannot get the butterfly to eat flake food, any suggestions?
 
Welcome to the site!
They are carnivores, I would feed mysis/brine soaked in selcon, zoe and garlic guard. What sized tank?
How long have you had it?
 
I agree that you`ll need to feed mysis and vitamin fortified brine and even then he may not eat. They are very finicky eaters. BTW welcome to AA
 
thanks for the replies! I have a 55 gal tank and I had the longnose butterfly for almost a week. I just bought the Brine Shrimp (they were all out of mysis). What is selcon, zoe and garlic guard? Does that make it more healthy for them? I also bought a Dragonet Gobie when I got the longnose, which I forgot to mention. I am also conserned about the gobie because I have not seen him eat yet. Sometime he picks at our LR, but that is it. Is there anything I could do more?
 
You are not going to like this advice, but that butterfly will need a larger tank and the goby needs to be in a mature tank since they tend to feed on pods and need a huge supply or will quickly starve.
 
Wow, I really need a larger tank? What can I do about the goby? Is there any kind of food I can buy that it would eat?
 
yes. the butterfly alone needs at least 75 gal... at least from what ive researched

-Brad
 
You can buy a bottle of pods for the goby.
 
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Mysis is better option so when you get the chance pick some up. Brine just doesn't have the nutrition.

The Mandarin is probably not going to make it. The pod population in your tank needs to be overflowing to keep them alive. Very rarely they will accept prepared foods but most of the time they eat copepods and nothing else. Buying pods is going to cost you some bucks even if your LFS carries them. The mandarin is a very tough fish to keep even if you have a very established system with a giant refugium pumping out copepods. Sorry to be a downer just want you to be aware of the fish you have.
 
I'm sorry I am really new to saltwater fish, if you haven't noticed already. I am not sure what pods are? Is that a plant? If so, would they have them at a regular pet store? So if I can't get pods, do u think the mysis will work?

Well, one thing is for sure, next time I buy a fish I will run it through you guys first! Everyone seems to know a lot about fish. I didn't do any research before I bought the fish, but the pet store associates seemed like they new what they were talking about when I was asking them questions.
 
I'm sorry I am really new to saltwater fish, if you haven't noticed already. I am not sure what pods are? Is that a plant? If so, would they have them at a regular pet store? So if I can't get pods, do u think the mysis will work?

Well, one thing is for sure, next time I buy a fish I will run it through you guys first! Everyone seems to know a lot about fish. I didn't do any research before I bought the fish, but the pet store associates seemed like they new what they were talking about when I was asking them questions.

Nothing wrong with being new to the hobby. You will learn as you go. It is always best to research each purchase before you make it. Most LFSs (local fish store) are interested in your money and not always what is best for a beginner.

Pods= Copepods this is what the mandarin feeds on almost exclusively. To have a good population of pods you need lots of live rock and a refugium helps as well. Usually I don't recommend this fish for anyone that has less then a 55g tank or had it set up for at least a year with lots of live rock. They are tough to keep because of the food they require. With out a constant source of pods they will starve to death.

Google is your friend. If you see a fish you like type it into google and do some reading about it. Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums is another good source for information on fish. Minimum tank size food compatibality all the good stuff. Read, read and read some more. Ask lots of questions here or elsewhere, just keep in mind that the folks here are usually talking from experience and they have nothing to gain.

Hope that helps point you in the right direction.
 
Allen has spot on advice!
LFS wants to make money, we give advice for free, so ask away!
 
I had a long nose butterfly that took about two months til I saw him eating. Just takes time, I used a bottle of copepods from the lfs. Seemed to work after some time.
 
The zoe and selcon are added nutrients, that you soak you frozen food in for the health of the fish. Garlic guard is good for stimulating an appetite response (no scientific proof there) but my fish go nuts, it is also known to boost the immune systems of fish.
The copepods needs a "safe haven" to multiply (sump/fuge) where they can reproduce and are plentiful for the goby. Typically, you want a pretty mature tank, and a newer 55 won't be able to support one. I have a 55 and won't put one in there (personal opinion) even though it's been up for years.
 
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