Thoughts on Pyramid Butterflyfish, are they worth it?

[Devaji]

I have kept 15 or so in reefs, with no problems. Same with H. zoster. They are very hardy, but seem to come in dirty from wholesalers every time I get them.

what is your QT process may i ask?

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

what is your QT process may i ask?

essentially same as everyone else that QTs religiously, straight to therapeutic copper for 28 days, then 2 prazi baths, and a 5' FW bath before going into the display. This changes as needed if flukes or uronema or something else pops up. I also feed frozen soaked in general cure with a focus binder, sometimes with a drop of garlic to help mask the medication taste, if they'll eat it.

 

[ajtomase]

did you get a one? I am in the same boat with a LPS dom. system and really thinking about this fish for a while now.

I didn't. I'm actually thinking about doing a rock flower anemone dom system with LPS, and I heard they eat RFAs so I'm not taking my chances...

 

[Mowen44]

I've had one for 3 or 4 years now. In an older, smaller tank it was a canary in the coalmine for water parameters. Mostly, if I looked wrong it would get a little case of ich. Since then I moved everything to a larger tank which included QT and letting everything in the old tank go fallow before the move and he has been healthy ever since. Does not seem to be aggressive towards tangs or anyone else. I have not seen him pick on coral or clam. I have not seen him pick on shrimp either, but I also have not seen my shrimp in a long time.

Please shoot a video of your Butterfly in your big tank.

 

[willisd]

Does anyone have experience adding more to a single specimen?

I have one smaller pyramid now and love the little guy and would like to add 1-2 more of it’s possible. He is not super established but some of my other residents are. I do have access to QT’d stock as well as an acclimation box.

 

[areefer01]

Does anyone have experience adding more to a single specimen?

I have one smaller pyramid now and love the little guy and would like to add 1-2 more of it’s possible. He is not super established but some of my other residents are. I do have access to QT’d stock as well as an acclimation box.

I can't answer your specific question about adding one to a display with an existing Pyramid but I would recommend an acclimation box. Any new fish honestly. At least in my experience.

 

[willisd]

I can't answer your specific question about adding one to a display with an existing Pyramid but I would recommend an acclimation box. Any new fish honestly. At least in my experience.

I had my pyramid in a box separated for two with a foxface and they still became fast friends. Now that I know of the mouth injury concerns I wouldn’t use an eggcrate divider like that. I have a 20 year old massive hippo tang who is a real pain if I don’t use the box.

I would ideally add in 1 or 2 in the box for a few days with a backup plan to rehome if some aggression occurred. When I put a mirror in the tank to distract the tangs the pyramid would swim with his reflection so I think he would welcome friend(s)

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Does anyone have experience adding more to a single specimen?

I have one smaller pyramid now and love the little guy and would like to add 1-2 more of it’s possible. He is not super established but some of my other residents are. I do have access to QT’d stock as well as an acclimation box.

I’ve kept them in groups with no issues. However, twice I wanted to add new ones to an existing group and each time the new fish were attacked until we removed them - I didn’t expect that!
Jay

 

[Zionas]

Curious, how big is your Hippo after 20 years?

 

[willisd]

Curious, how big is your Hippo after 20 years?

To keep things semi-relavent I got a pic of him under the acclimation box. He’s at least 10 or 11 inches and eats like a pig. Pardon the battle scars on his face he’s been through a lot over the years.

He does like to chase the pyramid on occassion but the pyramid seems to be like a little yippy dog and just dodges him. I figure 1 or 2 more to distract him and spread it out would be good.

 

[willisd]

I’ve kept them in groups with no issues. However, twice I wanted to add new ones to an existing group and each time the new fish were attacked until we removed them - I didn’t expect that!
Jay

Maybe I am validating overstocking but the safer move seems to get 2 to add to my established 1. Hopefully that resets whatever group dynamic there is.

Adding a single seems like it could just get bullied if there is an issue

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Maybe I am validating overstocking but the safer move seems to get 2 to add to my established 1. Hopefully that resets whatever group dynamic there is.

Adding a single seems like it could just get bullied if there is an issue

I should have been clearer - we added small groups to existing small groups, and the original fish trashed the new ones each time. We then added black pyramids to the tank, and had no issues - all very strange.

Just be sure to have a "plan B"!

Jay

 

[willisd]

I should have been clearer - we added small groups to existing small groups, and the original fish trashed the new ones each time. We then added black pyramids to the tank, and had no issues - all very strange.

Just be sure to have a "plan B"!

Jay

This makes more sense, I do have a plan B home but maybe this is more of a red flag than I initially thought.

I will watch the acclimation box closely for sure

 

[willisd]

I was able to locate and quarantine another pair of pyramids so soon I will have an answer to the question if there is an issue with 2 adding into 1 established (granted only for 6 weeks on the first)

My question now is if I should use the acclimation box due to the propensity these guys to get mouth damage.

My first had no issues and even had a small wall in the box. With 1 existing in there already I don’t know that throwing these 2 directly into the fire is a great idea, so I am very torn.

Any thoughts?

 

[areefer01]

Acclimation box, sized properly, is always a good idea.

• It allows existing fish to see it
• It allows new fish to see others
• You can observe both sides behavior
• You noted QT so probably already know feeding habits but this also allows day to day food and observing
• May still see some aggression after release but it gives you a better chance than without
• If acclimation box is dual purpose (trap) it is established, known, so head start should you need to trap/time out

Basically acclimation box is a great tool to use for many different reasons. Not fool proof but it helps. Always need to be aware of compatibility and unpredictability. It happens. I'm seeing it now with Pink Square Anthias and a Milletseed butterfly. Go figure.

 

[willisd]

Acclimation box, sized properly, is always a good idea.

• It allows existing fish to see it
• It allows new fish to see others
• You can observe both sides behavior
• You noted QT so probably already know feeding habits but this also allows day to day food and observing
• May still see some aggression after release but it gives you a better chance than without
• If acclimation box is dual purpose (trap) it is established, known, so head start should you need to trap/time out

Basically acclimation box is a great tool to use for many different reasons. Not fool proof but it helps. Always need to be aware of compatibility and unpredictability. It happens. I'm seeing it now with Pink Square Anthias and a Milletseed butterfly. Go figure.

My issue here is mouth damage and how this is so typical of this species of butterfly.

I am generally very much of the always use it opinion but from other research on this specific fish there has been a number of people cautioning against it.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I was able to locate and quarantine another pair of pyramids so soon I will have an answer to the question if there is an issue with 2 adding into 1 established (granted only for 6 weeks on the first)

My question now is if I should use the acclimation box due to the propensity these guys to get mouth damage.

My first had no issues and even had a small wall in the box. With 1 existing in there already I don’t know that throwing these 2 directly into the fire is a great idea, so I am very torn.

Any thoughts?

I would not use an acclimation box, they will likely harm their snouts. I use a large plastic mesh container to “howdy” this species, or I just move them right in.
Jay

 

[willisd]

I would not use an acclimation box, they will likely harm their snouts. I use a large plastic mesh container to “howdy” this species, or I just move them right in.
Jay

Jay I am glad to have this post-introduction validation. I just did this myself no box.

They were struggling around in the bags I didn’t want to risk the box and put them straight in. The existing guy during acclimation didn’t seem to do anything aggressive or look to injure them. He is already low man on the totem pole in the tank.

My sailfin has given them a little chasing hit everybody seems to be getting along.

I will post updates and pictures in the days to come

 

[willisd]

Not the greatest quality video but you can see the 2 new guys already pigging out after a few hours in the tank.

The pre existing one seems very happy to have friends to help tame the big tangs occasional chasing too.

 

[willisd]

an update on this for everyone.

My sailfin (and to a lesser degree flame angel) were being a little aggressive the first few days so I put pictures of sailfins and flames on the outside of the tank along with some “obstacles” in the tank (sticks I typically use to scare fish away from things).

I left them in/on all weekend and when I removed things today they are all honky dory.

This is from my webcam so not the greatest quality but you can see how the pyramids being out has really helped get some of my reclusive fish out.

Something else to note that I haven’t see elsewhere is that at least my original pyramid is a fan of Nori. The newer two haven’t started eating it yet but hopefully they will soon.

All and all this is one of the best fish I have come across in my 2 decades of reef keeping, and I wish I had known about them sooner. I would recommend trying for 2-3 of them at minimum after seeing the difference between 1 and a group