Heniochus Butterflyfish Longevity Poll

[NateHanson]

I'm bummed out about the recent loss of four Heniochus diphreutes butterflies in my tank (Schooling Bannerfish). Two apparently died of a Broolynella hostilis infection within 24 hours of acclimation, and two to unknown causes after living and eating healthily in my tank for nearly a month.

I really liked these fish, but I'm reluctant to try another pair unless I can figure out more information on successfully keeping them. Scott Michael calls them a "sturdy butterflyfish species". I wish my limited experience supported that description.

So what better way to assemble experiences than a poll? Feel free to add comments about what you think works and what doesn't work.

You can vote more than once for multiple fish.

Nate

 

[MickyB]

Started with 3 after 9 months have one left the other 2 died within 2 months from getting them.

 

[scavdog]

Good poll... You might want to add whether you knew if it was net caught or not.

Most Australian CBBF are net caught.

 

[NateHanson]

Yes, please post if you know whether your bannerfish were net-caught. I haven't asked my store, but I will.

 

[agent6473]

Hey Nate,
Sorry to hear about those bannerfish. They looked healthy when I was there cutting the acrylic with Ryan. By the way, thanks again for letting me use your equipment for this sump project.

Chris

 

[NateHanson]

No problem chris. The first fish died the very next day after you saw them, and the other died one day after that. Strange, eh?

 

[NateHanson]

So far, with 11 fish responding, we've got 8 dead, and 3 surviving. Only one of the three has been in captivity for more than 3 months. This seems pretty dismal to me. Any other reactions or suggestions about how to improve this?

 

[Daragon]

I just picked up three of them earlier this evening from Lovely Pets. So far they are alert, staying together and eating. That's a good start and hopefully it will only get better.

I also bought a RS Sailfin Tang and a Bluthroat Trigger. Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[tucc185]

Well, I had one for a while back when I didn't know all that much about reef fish, and it died after about 1-2 months of various things. Mine was very disease prone, and it got ich, then a fungus, then what looked like brooklynella, then another bout of ich, before finally succumbing. I think they are one of those fish that the vast majority doesn't ship well, and if you get a real healthy one than they're pretty hardy, but otherwise sickly or too stressed to last long. Add in the likelihood that they're cyanide collected, and the chances of you getting a good one are substantially small.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I have had a pair for more than 2 years...they are extremely healthy and eat like pigs.
I got the pair at Tropic Isle. They always swim together and steal food from all the other fish.

A story.....one time I was feeding my fish using a butter knife as a scoop for the mysis....Not a very good idea by the way.

One of the Hennis swam right into the knife and slit his head wide open displaying the muscular tissue under the skin (or scales). I thought he was as good as dead but 1 day went by and he still ate like a pig, then 2, 3,4 days. After a week the incision started healing and he is all healed today to the point that you could not tell him from the other......

 

[Daragon]

1 down....

 

[SMS76]

The one i got developed ICK and was dead in a week. He was eating like a pig but ICK got him. I never had ICK for a year and that's the one introduced ICK and kill few other fish as well.

 

[Daragon]

2 down...

 

[NateHanson]

That's a bummer Adam. I think I'm seeing a trend in this data . Tell me what you voted in the poll, and I'll edit it to properly reflect your fishes' fate if you'd like.

Nate

 

[Daragon]

I didn't vote yet, I was holding out for a better outcome.

 

[Daragon]

It's so weird, it wasn't acting weird, it was eating like a pig, looked healthy. I came home from work to feed and he's on the sand bed lifeless...

 

[NateHanson]

That's pretty much the way my second pair croaked. No outward signs of ill-health. Even upon death.

 

[~Flighty~]

Wow, 12 dead, 2 alive + 2 tanked less than 2 months. Thats pretty grim. This is supposed to be a hearty fish, (and I wanted some) what is going on?

 

[jovreef]

Well we have 9 at work, 7 of those for over 4 years. I do believe we lost 3 or 4 new ones trying to introduce them into the tank though, All in Q pretty quickly. They are super hardy and eat even nori, pellets, and flake once they acclimate.

I'm inclined to believe that they are not net catching fish as much as they are saying.

 

[NateHanson]

I agree Jov. I think it must be a collection issue considering the timeframe of the deaths, and the otherwise hearty reputation of the species.

I don't suppose you're looking to sell the heniochus you have at work?

What about a vendor like the Marine Center? Don't they specialize in healthy, safely caught fish?

Nate