Butterfly fish in a 36 gallon?

[the#1alphafishguy]

I was wondering if I could keep any species of butterflyfish in a 36 gallon tank please respond as soon as you can.
Thank you!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I was wondering if I could keep any species of butterflyfish in a 36 gallon tank please respond as soon as you can.
Thank you!

No, all of them are too large and active for a tank that size

 

[the#1alphafishguy]

ok thank you for responding, what fish are similar to butterfly fish that could go in that tank

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

tiny copper band but need s to be caught once to large and sent back to lfs

 

[Northern Flicker]

Is this a 36 bow front?

If so that is only a 30” tank. Some of the smaller wrasses may be ok but you would be best off with “nano” fish that tank.

30” is too cramped for any big swimmers.

 

[Northern Flicker]

tiny copper band but need s to be caught once to large and sent back to lfs

This is not a good idea.

 

[the#1alphafishguy]

Ok, so if I find a small tiny copperband butterfly I could keep it in the tank?

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

for a while until about 2 inches i would remove it

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

Is this a 36 bow front?

If so that is only a 30” tank. Some of the smaller wrasses may be ok but you would be best off with “nano” fish that tank.

30” is too cramped for any big swimmers.

say for 5 months and them send him back

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Ok, so if I find a small tiny copperband butterfly I could keep it in the tank?

I would not do this. Small ones tend not to acclimate as well. Tiny butterflies are notorious for coming in too starved to stand a chance. Ideally one purchases a butterfly between 2-3" in length. Plus, this species is easily stressed, so moving it between tanks more than necessary should be avoided.

As it is, copperbands should not be a fish attempted by most people. 99% die within 30 days in captivity because people don't meet their needs. Sure, kept with the right tankmates, properly quarantined, and kept in an appropriate sized, well established tank they may do fine, but even then, the majority do not survive.

Please keep fish appropriate to the size tank you have. A pygmy angel like the flameback or Atlantic pygmy would be much better choices.

 

[Cheese Griller]

Ok, so if I find a small tiny copperband butterfly I could keep it in the tank?

You’d only be able to keep it for a few months max. Copperbands have a very poor survival rate, and don’t do well when stressed, which it would be in such a small tank.

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

youre right just wanted to make this hommie happy but its all about the fish

 

[Northern Flicker]

youre right just wanted to make this hommie happy but its all about the fish

Make the fish happy. Happy fish = happy homies.

 

[the#1alphafishguy]

Yeah thanks you guys, and im just making sure there’s no butterflyfish at all that can go in that tank?

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

sorry

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Yeah thanks you guys, and im just making sure there’s no butterflyfish at all that can go in that tank?

Nope. They all need a bigger tank.

Again, check out the pygmy angels, like the cherub, flameback, etc. Small fish with the large personality, and those same type of swim pattern that most other angels and butterflies have, almost floating above and through the reef, stopping to pick at stuff. They tend to be pretty hardy, very colorful, and stay appropriately sized for that tank.

 

[areefer01]

You could always remove the water, toss in some milkweed, collect a couple of Monarch caterpillars, and before you know it you will have some butterflies. Oh, wait, you wanted marine type. Sorry.

So the correct answer many have already provided is that no, non will really work long term. For health of the aquarist or the fish. One has to factor in the aquarium size, rock work, coral size, substrate, and equipment inside as it all takes up space. Space that will take away swim lanes for fish. Butterflies, for which you didn't mention what ones you are interested in, are usually larger wild collected. There are plenty that are captive bred, raised, that are small but again they grow fast and before you know it Bob is your Uncle and you have to remove it or upgrade. Both new hobbyist say they will, but don't.

The fish in question may not want to leave. Trap? Maybe, maybe not. That doesn't work now you have to use nets and a friend. No friend now you are Squiddly Diddly using both of your arms with nets trying to catch it. Stress on you, stress on the fish, and stress on everything in the tank. F-Bombs aside that doesn't work and now you are breaking up your reef to catch something that should never have been added in the first place. Small or not.

TL; DR - do it right the first time and properly stock. There are plenty of pretty fish that one can place inside a display of that size.

Forktail blenny
Dwarf Angels
Starcki Damsel
Royal Gramma
Cardinals
Neon goby

You get the idea. Plenty to choose from. Just trying to save you some headache and frustration down the road by buying something that isn't really the best choice even if small. Do a search on 40 breeder stock list for some ideas. Just ignore anything with butterfly in it. I would also avoid wrasses but that is my personal opinion. That and clowns. Possum wrasse is nice but they need a healthy pod population...

 

[littlefoxx]

Yeah thanks you guys, and im just making sure there’s no butterflyfish at all that can go in that tank?

No, but have you looked into a cherub angelfish? They are very small dwarf angels which can be similar to butterflies. But that's the only dwarf I would consider putting in the tank, the other dwarves are too big and active.

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

You could always remove the water, toss in some milkweed, collect a couple of Monarch caterpillars, and before you know it you will have some butterflies. Oh, wait, you wanted marine type. Sorry.

So the correct answer many have already provided is that no, non will really work long term. For health of the aquarist or the fish. One has to factor in the aquarium size, rock work, coral size, substrate, and equipment inside as it all takes up space. Space that will take away swim lanes for fish. Butterflies, for which you didn't mention what ones you are interested in, are usually larger wild collected. There are plenty that are captive bred, raised, that are small but again they grow fast and before you know it Bob is your Uncle and you have to remove it or upgrade. Both new hobbyist say they will, but don't.

The fish in question may not want to leave. Trap? Maybe, maybe not. That doesn't work now you have to use nets and a friend. No friend now you are Squiddly Diddly using both of your arms with nets trying to catch it. Stress on you, stress on the fish, and stress on everything in the tank. F-Bombs aside that doesn't work and now you are breaking up your reef to catch something that should never have been added in the first place. Small or not.

TL; DR - do it right the first time and properly stock. There are plenty of pretty fish that one can place inside a display of that size.

Forktail blenny
Dwarf Angels
Starcki Damsel
Royal Gramma
Cardinals
Neon goby

You get the idea. Plenty to choose from. Just trying to save you some headache and frustration down the road by buying something that isn't really the best choice even if small. Do a search on 40 breeder stock list for some ideas. Just ignore anything with butterfly in it. I would also avoid wrasses but that is my personal opinion. That and clowns. Possum wrasse is nice but they need a healthy pod population...

you shoundt put him down chat

 

[the#1alphafishguy]

Not saying like”don’t tell me” but I’m experienced in fish keeping, and I know many people who are experienced in fish keeping

You could always remove the water, toss in some milkweed, collect a couple of Monarch caterpillars, and before you know it you will have some butterflies. Oh, wait, you wanted marine type. Sorry.

So the correct answer many have already provided is that no, non will really work long term. For health of the aquarist or the fish. One has to factor in the aquarium size, rock work, coral size, substrate, and equipment inside as it all takes up space. Space that will take away swim lanes for fish. Butterflies, for which you didn't mention what ones you are interested in, are usually larger wild collected. There are plenty that are captive bred, raised, that are small but again they grow fast and before you know it Bob is your Uncle and you have to remove it or upgrade. Both new hobbyist say they will, but don't.

The fish in question may not want to leave. Trap? Maybe, maybe not. That doesn't work now you have to use nets and a friend. No friend now you are Squiddly Diddly using both of your arms with nets trying to catch it. Stress on you, stress on the fish, and stress on everything in the tank. F-Bombs aside that doesn't work and now you are breaking up your reef to catch something that should never have been added in the first place. Small or not.

TL; DR - do it right the first time and properly stock. There are plenty of pretty fish that one can place inside a display of that size.

Forktail blenny
Dwarf Angels
Starcki Damsel
Royal Gramma
Cardinals
Neon goby

You get the idea. Plenty to choose from. Just trying to save you some headache and frustration down the road by buying something that isn't really the best choice even if small. Do a search on 40 breeder stock list for some ideas. Just ignore anything with butterfly in it. I would also avoid wrasses but that is my personal opinion. That and clowns. Possum wrasse is nice but they need a healthy pod population...

thank you for your response but I know that butterfly fish can get tricky to get out of tanks, and I know what I am doing, I’m not new to this, I just made this account