Thoughts on Pyramid Butterflyfish, are they worth it?

Jay Hemdal · Oct 4, 2020

Thaxxx said:
@Jay Hemdal How do you screen for them specifically?

Oh, just FW dips. They’re usually one of the easiest fish to catch, and if any have Neo, they will.
Jay

Jay Hemdal · Oct 4, 2020

stevenliu9 said:
interesting, so do you have a pyramid permanently living in the QT?

No, but if I’m bringing in fish, I almost always have pyramids in the order. Batfish, spade fish and Pomacanthus angels also work well.
Jay

Coralsdaily · Oct 4, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
No, but if I’m bringing in fish, I almost always have pyramids in the order. Batfish, spade fish and Pomacanthus angels also work well.
Jay

Ah gotcha, so I bet you have an army of them by now! I love pyramid so much I can have a whole school of them if I can so I might have to learn from your example!

SDguy · Oct 5, 2020

I was the one with the question about the white scales turning silvery in some areas. The basic responses I got were yes we see them, and no they don't seem to be an issue. This was my same conclusion, so I am not going to sweat it, since mine eat like pigs, have put on a huge amount of weight (all three came in with their spines visible) and have grown noticeably.

I agree they have gotten disproportionally more pricey recently. Once established they are beautiful and easy additions, that don't bother other fish, all pluses in my book. I wouldn't even consider buying any without a proper/complete quarantine regiment.

Just a side note, I think the terminology gets confusing by saying there are black zosters and yellow zoster, especially considering the variation of the head on the), when really only the black and white version is actually P. zoster. Also IME the head color on the pyramids changes with "mood", time of day, etc. Really settled "happy" pyramids all have dark brown heads. BradleyJSyphus has some for several years, check them out!

Coralsdaily · Oct 5, 2020

SDguy said:
I was the one with the question about the white scales turning silvery in some areas. The basic responses I got were yes we see them, and no they don't seem to be an issue. This was my same conclusion, so I am not going to sweat it, since mine eat like pigs, have put on a huge amount of weight (all three came in with their spines visible) and have grown noticeably.

I agree they have gotten disproportionally more pricey recently. Once established they are beautiful and easy additions, that don't bother other fish, all pluses in my book. I wouldn't even consider buying any without a proper/complete quarantine regiment.

Just a side note, I think the terminology gets confusing by saying there are black zosters and yellow zoster, especially considering the variation of the head on the), when really only the black and white version is actually P. zoster. Also IME the head color on the pyramids changes with "mood", time of day, etc. Really settled "happy" pyramids all have dark brown heads. BradleyJSyphus has some for several years, check them out!

Thank you! I've seen some in the wild with really bright yellow heads, but again just because they are in the wild doesn't always mean that's the norm. Cant agree more on all the positives you've listed for this fish. And honestly I think they are fine as long as they are well quarantined.

SDguy · Oct 5, 2020

stevenliu9 said:
Thank you! I've seen some in the wild with really bright yellow heads, but again just because they are in the wild doesn't always mean that's the norm. Cant agree more on all the positives you've listed for this fish. And honestly I think they are fine as long as they are well quarantined.

Interesting... could be a regional variation. Where was this? Was it groups? Singles?

Coralsdaily · Oct 5, 2020

SDguy said:
Interesting... could be a regional variation. Where was this? Was it groups? Singles?

Hawaii! individuals

SDguy · Oct 5, 2020

stevenliu9 said:
Hawaii! individuals

Seems to show those in pics too, so not surprising. Maybe like the ultra red Flame Angel from there.

Pyramid Butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys polylepis

www.marinelifephotography.com

Big C · Oct 11, 2020

Love my pair, probably the best addition yet. As for reed safe...... I did have one eat my frogspawn. I watched it pick away at it over several days just to make sure. The second one never touched it. Still worth having these guys over frogspawn.

Coralsdaily · Oct 11, 2020

Big C said:
Love my pair, probably the best addition yet. As for reed safe...... I did have one eat my frogspawn. I watched it pick away at it over several days just to make sure. The second one never touched it. Still worth having these guys over frogspawn.

Interesting to hear. I love mine. they are in with a bunch of corals sps, lps, and soft and they don't touch any of them. Even though I wished they would have eaten the softies as my pulsing xenia is becoming a tank weed.

User1 · Oct 31, 2020

stevenliu9 said:
Interesting to hear. I love mine. they are in with a bunch of corals sps, lps, and soft and they don't touch any of them. Even though I wished they would have eaten the softies as my pulsing xenia is becoming a tank weed.

I've read a few cases by hobbyists that the Zosters(?) will clear Xenia. I can't confirm although I was going to try a pair of pyramid and zosters in case one of them would keep mine in check. That and a trio of Milletseed's once BIOTA gets another batch in.

ca1ore · Oct 31, 2020

Pyramids wiped my tank clear of Xenia in a few days. Have some still in the sump but the display is clear of it. They also ate clove polyps.

User1 · Oct 31, 2020

ca1ore said:
Pyramids wiped my tank clear of Xenia in a few days. Have some still in the sump but the display is clear of it. They also ate clove polyps.

Good to know. My BIOTA captive raised/bred matted filefish was keeping it managed but once it went after a new frogspawn frag I had to trade it. It also went after my duncan. Anyway I have wanted a pyramid pair with a zoster mixed in, or the other way around with a pyramid.

Big C · Nov 1, 2020

Love mine, got the most comments on my pair. But......they have to go. Ate a frogspawn, picking at my clam, picking at a rock flower anemone (seriously, the short tentacles) and and picked clean and acan.

Not sure if I wasn't feeding enough or what (3 times a day, pellets, frozen, all high quality) but now one has a taste for some soft coral.... Trap is going in this weekend and back to the LFS.

saltyhog · Nov 1, 2020

I kept a trio a long time before re-homing them when I moved 4 years ago. I loved them. Very hardy once you get healthy specimens and get them through QT. Mine bothered no corals, inverts or other fish. They were pretty much perfect reef tank dwellers. They are voracious eaters and do add a good bit to the bioload.

Coralsdaily · Nov 1, 2020

saf1 said:
I've read a few cases by hobbyists that the Zosters(?) will clear Xenia. I can't confirm although I was going to try a pair of pyramid and zosters in case one of them would keep mine in check. That and a trio of Milletseed's once BIOTA gets another batch in.

I have a pair of pyramid in my tank... but I think I'm keeping them fed too well they aren't chumping xenia down as I hoped them to

Coralsdaily · Nov 1, 2020

Big C said:
Love mine, got the most comments on my pair. But......they have to go. Ate a frogspawn, picking at my clam, picking at a rock flower anemone (seriously, the short tentacles) and and picked clean and acan.

Not sure if I wasn't feeding enough or what (3 times a day, pellets, frozen, all high quality) but now one has a taste for some soft coral.... Trap is going in this weekend and back to the LFS.

Wow you might be the first non-reef safe pyramid butterfly case I know of! so sorry to hear! knock on wood mine haven't touched any of my corals (even though I want them to help out with xenia control)

Big C · Nov 1, 2020

stevenliu9 said:
Wow you might be the first non-reef safe pyramid butterfly case I know of! so sorry to hear! knock on wood mine haven't touched any of my corals (even though I want them to help out with xenia control)

I know. I wanted them to work so bad. My wife said she saw them picking at the anemone and LPS. I said "no way"........ After several comments from her I sat down in front of the tank and after 10-15 minutes and the butterfly eyeing the anemone, he took a few nips. And the next morning it was nipping at the frogspawn before the lights came on.

IF I can get them out (I think it's just one really nipping) I hope to try them later down the road.