Butterfly Fish

[Feynman]

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 gal 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]

No African Butterfly Fish Fans huh????

 

[Menagerie]

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

 

[Fruitbat]

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]

niiiice pic!

 

[Feynman]

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.