# Semilarvatus Butterfly and Moorish Idol with SPS



## CrankbaitJon (Mar 26, 2012)

Hello,

I'm planning to convert my FOWLR to a reef tank with some SPS and clams. Just wondering if anyone have experience with the Semilarvatus (Golden) Butterflyfish and the Moorish Idol kept in a reef tank. I've read a bit on the internet but most of the time are people quoting websites and this website copying off another website. I really don't want to sell off these two fish unless I have to. I feed them well (I think) 3 times a day with NLS and occasional mysis.

Jon


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

CrankbaitJon said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm planning to convert my FOWLR to a reef tank with some SPS and clams. Just wondering if anyone have experience with the Semilarvatus (Golden) Butterflyfish and the Moorish Idol kept in a reef tank. I've read a bit on the internet but most of the time are people quoting websites and this website copying off another website. I really don't want to sell off these two fish unless I have to. I feed them well (I think) 3 times a day with NLS and occasional mysis.
> 
> Jon


That morish would benifit with some sponge in its diet. Not sure what food it is (maybe the one you're using), but one has sponge in it. Morish idols eat sponges as their primary food source.

Butterfly's are hit and miss with sps.

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## CrankbaitJon (Mar 26, 2012)

Thanks, I do have sponges on the LR but it doesn't really eat it. The people that I talked to all fed their MI NLS and their fishes have been alive for 3+ years up to 7.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

CrankbaitJon said:


> Thanks, I do have sponges on the LR but it doesn't really eat it. The people that I talked to all fed their MI NLS and their fishes have been alive for 3+ years up to 7.


Cool. I know so many cases of people buying MI's without realizing what they were buying. They are beautiful, but not for everyone.

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## CrankbaitJon (Mar 26, 2012)

Just an update; I put a frag of SPS in the tank and the butterfly picked at it like it was candy. The idol followed and I removed the butterfly to one of my QTs. The idol hasn't picked at the coral since but I'll probably put a fresh piece of frag in there in a few days to see if the idol is really not interested or it's not "fresh" enough.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Can't blame the butterfly, it's in his nature to eat them! I often wonder if you were to overwhelm the fish with colonies (sum, 10$ brown sps comes to mind) if you would notice the picking.

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## CrankbaitJon (Mar 26, 2012)

That's what I am thinking. If I put a few piece of them in together, or should I say alot of pieces in with the butterfly, it may help spread the damage. I don't think it will stop though eating them though and that joker is never full, lol. Thanks for the heads up for the $10 brown colonies, I forgot about those.


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