Orange Face (Larvatus) Butterfly success!

[stklaw]

Hello marine life enthusiasts. I recently acquired an Orange Face Butterflyfish, not at request but it was for sale at a fish shop that ships; it was a WYSIWYG item. I was told he started eating mysis so I purchased him. He came happy and unstressed, picking at rocks and seemed like he had an appetite at feeding time. But he wouldn't take mysis. In fact, he wasn't interested in any food variety that floated in the water column. But it only took a minute after introducing clam on the halfshell for him to eat. And he LOVES clam. He cant stop picking at them. Anyway, he is eating clam twice a day and in good quantities. It may not work with every Orange Face Butterflyfish but my little 3 incher devours it. I also added a Millepora to keep him happy grazing.

 

[Big G]

Beautiful fish! Congratulations and many years of enjoyment.

 

[dennis romano]

I am jealous!!! The larvatus is one of the most difficult butterflies to get to eat. A few on line stores had them but I was afraid to pull the trigger. I have nine butterflies in a FOWLR and I throw all kinds of food at new ones until I find something that the new guy eats. Best of luck!

 

[Tdog4413]

Hello marine life enthusiasts. I recently acquired an Orange Face Butterflyfish, not at request but it was for sale at a fish shop that ships; it was a WYSIWYG item. I was told he started eating mysis so I purchased him. He came happy and unstressed, picking at rocks and seemed like he had an appetite at feeding time. But he wouldn't take mysis. In fact, he wasn't interested in any food variety that floated in the water column. But it only took a minute after introducing clam on the halfshell for him to eat. And he LOVES clam. He cant stop picking at them. Anyway, he is eating clam twice a day and in good quantities. It may not work with every Orange Face Butterflyfish but my little 3 incher devours it. I also added a Millepora to keep him happy grazing.

I've also had success with these fish, along with Bennetti, and triangles. I would get a piece of brown out acro or other sps around the size of a baseball. That would give it a short term food source. Then I would take another dead coral skeleton and snear it with mastic. They would think it was coral also and would consume it. Panta Rhei makes a food that is dried sponge and dried jellyfish "polyps" and I mix that in with the mastic for flavor and extra nutrition. I would make the mixture just wet enough with Selcon for more vitamins. So I tricked the fish into thinking they were eating coral. They lived for quite sometime til I moved and unfortunately this killed them besides the Bennetti. Those fish are more forgiving to water quality changes. If anyone wants one of those types of fish give this a try

 

[Tdog4413]

When I say for quite some time I mean almost 2 years. That's success in my book. Also clams were useful but not on all. My triangle refused this and it was the one that gave me more trouble. The big thing to give best success is never ever buy one over 3" or under 2. Too large and it is set in there ways, too small and most likely the shipping process was too much as they need food often. I imagine this may even work on ornates and other "off limits" corallivour fish.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Speaking of corallivore butterflies, this beauty pops up for sale now and then around me... absolutely beautiful. If I had a tank big enough I'd definitely be getting him but i had to downgrade so for now I'm pretty restricted on what fish i can keep. I do have experience with Bennettis and Triangulum butterflies.

 

[awwinterfall]

Is it still alive?

 

[stklaw]

Oh yeah, hes healthy as can be. Happy, eats 1-2 clams daily in addition to oft picking at stuff on rocks. At feeding time he waits for the clam drop and is practically chomping at it as it flutters to the sand. He will pick for an hour at a clam, constantly circling back for more pecks between pieces.
Hes my favorite fish personality in there. Great gorgeous fish if you get em to eat.

 

[awwinterfall]

Looks fat and healthy

 

[awwinterfall]

Curious. Will he eat clams from the water column or only on the shell?

 

[stklaw]

Though he is aware the other guys are eating all sorts of frozen seafood offerings floating around in the water column, he has had no interest in floating food. On a few rare occasions he has taken a floating nibble of LRS fish frenzy, but barely. He does pick at rocks and substrate all day, assuming hes getting some copepods or other little critters. But he loves the clam on the halfshell; waist for me to slide the lid open, follows the clam down as it falls, and pecks away! I'm hoping this video will upload...

 

[awwinterfall]

He looks very healthy

 

[stklaw]

Now in addition to the clam, my Orange Face Butterfly is also eating some krill that are a part of my Rods Foods, et al frozen offerings.
...My son recently (a week ago) added his own medium sized Orange Face to his mature 55g tank. His did not take to clam for 3 days, until my son soaked the clam in garlic guard. Then he ate. And the next day he was eating everything (mysis, Rods, brine) garlic soaked. Garlic was the key with his Orange Face. So I believe too the medium-small to medium sized Orange Faces can do well. It takes effort, but it's all worth it for success.

 

[brianw6723]

I got a blue cheek and Pakistan butterfly and they were really picky for a while , five years later they were pigs, ate everything, now they are at a science aquarium cause they outgrew my tank, I miss them