Chaetodon larvatus - Butterfly, are you keeping one?

[direwolf]

Hi everyone - I'm trying to see who (if anyone mortal) is having any success acclimating & keeping the Lavartus butterfly - Red Sea hooded, not the semi lavartus.

If you've had one, how long did it last for you? Were you able to sustain it long term (9 months-1 year+) or short term (2 weeks to a few months)? I've been researching them a while, although never attempted to keep one myself yet.

I know it's a strict coral eater. Just wanted to see if there is anyone here with any experience with it.

 

[marrone]

I think if you do find someone, that has any success in keeping one, they most likely would have a large tank where if the BF did pick on some corals it would be OK. Outside of that it would probably be very hard to find anyone that has kept one for a period of time, as not only are they very selective eaters but they're very thin to start with, so you do need to get them eating fairly soon after you get one. Even if they do start to eat most do eventually die, and just another in a group of fish that it would be best if they weren't collected to begin with.

 

[direwolf]

Thanks for the response & insight, Marrone. probably not a popular view, that is if they're already at the wholesalers, they're doomed. I'd rather give them a chance (slim as it may be) than sit in a cube & perish.

 

[tomjof]

By buying them from the wholesaler you're giving the wholesaler to bring in more, basically dooming more butterflies. Best thing to do is not buy them so that less are taken out of the ocean