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FAQs on Pantodon
buchholzi, the African Butterflyfish
Related Articles: Bony
Tongue Fishes, Arowanas, Arapaima, African Butterflyfish, Featherback
Knifes,
Mormyrids, Elephantfishes,
Related FAQs: Bony
Tongue Fishes, Aba
Aba Knifefish, Arapaimas,
Arowanas,
Featherfin Knives, Mormyrids,
New World Knifefishes, |
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Regarding African Butterfly Fish, feeding, "flying" beh....
– 05/02/09
I've been studying from a neurobiological point of view vision and
visual processing in the African butterfly fish since 1988. I have a
comment that might be useful for your FAQ on this fish (Pantodon).
<A fascinating fish, and worthwhile of much study, I'm sure!>
1. They prefer life prey that floats on the surface. In all the time I
have studied these fish, I have one instance of an individual feeding in
the water column and in that instance, the fish came on the prey from
below.
That behavior is because the fish ONLY feeds from within the ventral
(bottom) third (actually ~40%) of the retina. That part of the retina
sees the water surface.
<Would certainly agree with this. Usually when explaining to people how
to feed Pantodon, I try to explain that there's a sort of arc-shaped
kill zone about 90 degrees out from each eye, flat with the surface of
the water.
They seem to ignore stuff in front of them or behind them, or even much
more than a couple of inches beyond their eyes.>
2. Small crickets are great prey. They move. Targets should move. For
feed like freeze-dried bloodworms (not frozen that sink), if a fish
bumps into one, it'll take it. I've kept individuals for up to 2 years
with a
combination of fish flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms and crickets (and
water changes, etc).
<Absolutely! While they certainly enjoy live foods (wingless Drosophila
work well, too) it seems to be more about stuff being in the kill zone
than actually what that stuff is. Most folks who fail with this species
seem not to be offering the food in the right way.>
3. I've fed them with mosquito larvae. When the larvae were on the
surface, they were great feed. When the larvae were in the water column,
they were ignored.
<Agreed. Interestingly, Halfbeaks (which I keep several species of) are
mostly the same, but the odd specimen will learn to take food from the
bottom, usually by rolling over onto its side so the 'beak' isn't in the
way. Even more oddly, it's only the females that seem to experiment;
perhaps the males are too busy watching their "territory" for rival
males?>
4. I suspect any fish that is a bottom feeder and stays at the bottom
will not be predated upon by Pantodon. Guppies at the surface are
clearly in danger.
<This would seem logical.>
On the other hand, I would be interested in any information from your
readers about how to breed these fish. There is a subtlety that eludes
my success in this venture.
<I haven't bred them, but there are reports in, for example, Baensch
volume 1. In brief: Baensch reports that the fish need soft, acidic
water (10 degrees dH, pH 6.5) at 25-28 C. Filtration through peat
apparently is required. Pairs will breed only if well fed. 3-7 eggs
produced each pairing, and these eggs float; by the end of the day up to
200 eggs are laid. They hatch in 36 hours, and the fry are difficult to
rear (doesn't
say why, but presumably very small, so need infusoria, rotifers or
whatever).>
By the way, many books call this species the fresh-water flying fish
because it leaves the water. The mechanism is by a single pectoral fin
down movement so the fish is more like a ballistic missile than a flying
fish or glider. They do not glide (see my paper in Fish Biology, 1004,
v. 71, pp. 63-72).
<Along these lines, there was a story at the Natural History Museum in
London (where I used to work) of the late Humphrey Greenwood.
Supposedly, one of his party trick was to put Hatchetfish in a jar, and
then ping the side of the jaw. The Hatchets would go flying out across
the room. No idea
if this is true or not (sounds pretty mean, really) but who knows? In
any case, I know there's been much discussion over the years about which
fish leap, which fish glide, and which fish actually fly; good to know
someone has done some experimental work to pin this down!>
Nice site.
<Kind of you to say so.>
Bill Saidel, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof of Neurozoology
Dept. of Biology
Rutgers University
Camden campus
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Regarding African Butterfly Fish - FYI – 05/02/09
Their brains are wonderful. They have a structure that few other fish
have.
<Would like to hear more about this some time... see below.>
Two points here: Their lateral line system allows them to locate or at
least make a vector towards targets more than a few inches beyond their
eyes.
The second is that the arc-shaped zone you are talking about is called
Snell's window. It is the representation on the surface of the 3-d
aerial world that they see. The surface acts like a movie screen to them
(at least the arc-shaped area). They attack prey hung above the water
surface but miss all the time unless close to 90 degrees overhead, ie,.
the fish does not, like the archer fish, compensate for refraction (took
me 2 years of on-off videoing to show this).
<Fascinating stuff. I'd read that they leap from the water to catch
prey, like trout I suppose, but I had no idea they were so bad at it!>
Halfbeaks have some of the same retinal adaptations as Pantodon (and
Arowana) only halfbeaks evolved them independently!
<This would make sense.>
Thanks for the info [on breeding].
<Happy to help.>
I can tell you more in this regard. When Pantodon pull their pectoral
fins down (adduct? some definition problems here), the spinal cord sends
one signal and then the spinal output to the adductor muscles pulling
the pectorals down shuts off for about 8-10 seconds, so a Pantodon jumps
once regardless of how many times one strikes the side of the aquarium
repetitively.
<Interesting.>
With hatchets, the spinal output does not shut off so hatchets look like
a ball bouncing up and down when one strikes the side of the tank
repetitively.
<Indeed!>
I believe your Greenwood story. I got some hatchets and sure enough they
will jump over and over until they leave the tank.
Best wishes,
Bill
<Bill, would you or perhaps one of your graduate students consider
writing something about Pantodon for 'Conscientious Aquarist'? It's our
online fish magazine. We pay at least as well as the print magazines,
and if American science is anything like British science, you can put
this down as "outreach"! The details are here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_2/Author_Inst.htm
We get quite a few messages about these fish, so something about how you
keep them in the lab, what you've learned about them, and how that
relates to their ecology would all be fascinating. Cheers, Neale.>
Pantodon;
feeding, compatibility 9/27/08
Hi,
love the site its full of great info.
<Kind of you to say so!>
This note
is for the keepers of African butterfly fish- If you have trouble feeding your
African butterfly, try Blood worms!
<Yep, they certainly like these!>
I
have been keeping these fish for years, the best way i find to feed a finicky
fish of this sort is to just crack a cube of frozen blood worms into the water
and the fish will do the rest ( it's quite the show actually.)
<The key thing
with Pantodon buchholzi is that it only feeds from the surface, and even then,
only with relatively narrow 90-degree arcs around the eyes. Anything moving or
tasty-looking in that zone is dinner, but anything else is ignored. Hence people
who find these fish are starving are usually not putting any food where the
Pantodon will eat from.>
I tend to keep a couple cichlids in the tank with
them. The cichlids tend to grab the excess worms as they fall (a Pleco is
another good cleaner fish, in addition to the cichlids.) thus, keeping a cleaner
tank all around.
<Good advice, up to a point. It's also important to remember
that even with "cleaners" in a tank, you still mustn't overfeed the fish.>
plenty of free floating plant life is needed because these fish like to hang at
the surface, they may not move for days, a lot of people look at them like they
are dead because they seem to be floating belly up.
<Yes, floating plants are
indeed essential with these fish.>
They will eat live fish of the right size
so i don't recommend putting them in with guppies, but they are an interesting
fish to keep all the same.
<Good advice. Guppies may well be eaten, but most
other fish, especially species that stay close to the bottom, aren't at risk.>
P.S. - don't worry about never seeing them "poop", They do I'm sure.
<Indeed.
Thanks for writing! Neale.>
|
Tiger barb [and African
butterfly fish] deaths :( 12/31/07
Hey there,
I recently stumbled across your website in a desperate bid for reasons for
tropical fish demise, and finding it both informative and relatively easy to
follow, I thought I could risk a question or two.
<Go ahead...>
Our family are fairly new to fish ownership; my younger brother has had tropical
fish since September. He had three green tiger barbs, one tiger barb, and then
about a week later he got two African butterfly fish and two Dalmatian mollies.
<A terrible combination of fish on so many levels. Tiger barbs are schooling
fish that MUST be kept in groups of six upwards. They are also notorious
fin-nippers, and will nip at Butterflyfish. Butterflyfish are demanding animals
not for beginners because they are quite tricky to feed. They need mature
aquaria with excellent water quality and ideally soft/acid conditions. Mollies,
on the other hand, need hard and alkaline water, preferably with salt added.
Butterflies and barbs do not like salt, so they can't be kept together. Mollies
are really fish for brackish water aquaria unless you are an expert fishkeeper
able to create alkaline, basic water with zero nitrate on a constant basis.
Please buy and read an aquarium book before shopping.>
For the first month or two the fish were absolutely fine. Then one of the
African butterfly fish showed strange behaviour, swimming upside down, floating
to the surface of the water and appearing to lack control of its movement. It
died shortly afterwards [within a day or two.]
<Most likely water quality/chemistry issues. Test nitrite and pH. In a new tank,
you should be doing this every couple of days anyway.>
Approximately a couple of weeks went by. A lot more recently our biggest green
barb showed similar behaviour - swimming sideways and upside down - and then
also died within a few days of this new behaviour.
<Ditto.>
Having noticed this similarity in their behaviour patterns before their deaths,
and upset to have lost another fish, we began to investigate as to why they were
dying. This is when I came across your site.
<Hmm...>
I am sad to say today [30 Dec] two more barbs have passed away - the tiger barb
and another green barb. The last green barb is currently still alive but judging
by the rate of passing we're not sure how long this will be the case.
<OK, this is almost certainly water quality problems. Have you cycled the tank
before adding fish? How big is the tank? What sort of filter are you using? What
books did you read before starting the hobby?>
We wondered at first whether it was an aeration problem - we had a filter
already of course which functions fine, but just to be safe we bought an aerator
separately which is now also functioning in the tank.
<Aeration is a trivial issue in most tanks, and a properly run aquarium doesn't
need any aeration. But filtration is something else: what is the nitrite level
in this tank?>
There are fresh, live plants and the temperature is about 25'C [which we
understand to be a suitable temperature.] The ph is 7 and we wondered whether
this would make a difference.
<pH 7 is too low for Mollies; Mollies must have not less than pH 7.5, which is
of course incompatible with Tiger Barbs and Butterflyfish, which prefer
6.5-7.5.>
We have been informed by our local aquarium [where we bought all these tropical
fish from] that the situation could be to do with the nitrate level etc. and
they are kindly testing a sample of water tomorrow.
<No no no... you need your own NITRITE (with an "I") test kit at home. No-one
starting the hobby should be without this ESSENTIAL piece of kit. Think it's a
waste of money? Too bad... your fish died anyway, likely because of nitrite
poisoning. Test kits are NOT optional.>
The Dalmatian mollies seem as perky and inquisitive as ever.
<Only a matter of time...>
I just wondered if there is any additional information or advice you could
provide about the reasons for my brother's barbs and butterfly fish deaths and
if they are related.
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwset-up.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
And other related articles.>
If you could make any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated,
Rhiannon
<Read more and try to understand what is happening in your tanks before adding
any more fish. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Tiger barb [and African
butterfly fish] deaths :( 12/31/07
Hello Neale,
Thank you for the quick reply.
<You're welcome.>
I have taken into account everything you've said very seriously.
<Cool.>
Although I would like to say that I really don't appreciate the implication that
we don't care about the fish because that is far from the case.
<My mistake, and no offence meant.>
Our family didn't just go out and buy the fish. Before purchasing the fish we
owned A buyer's guide to tropical fish which states that mollies should have
ph7-7.4, and that barbs are unfussy within normal parameters, and as for the
necessity of the nitrite testing kit at home - our aquarium failed to inform us
of this necessity as well as telling us that barbs, mollies and butterfly fish
were compatible.
<Often the problem. These fish basically AREN'T compatible for the reasons
outlined. While Barbs can certainly thrive in hard, alkaline water (lots of
people keep them in southern England for example) most barbs do not tolerate
salt well, and sooner or later Mollies end up needing to be kept in salty water.
Sure, some people keep them without salt, but the simple fact is half the time
Mollies are sickly under such conditions, so why not make life easier for them
and for you and keep them in brackish water from the get-go. Aquarium shops
*can* be good sources of information, but it depends a lot on who you talk to,
and what the store specialises in. There are some aquarium store owners I
happily defer to when discussing healthcare of certain types of livestock. But
then there are other stores where staff are far less experienced/trained.>
So as far as we had known everything was fine and we had all the equipment we
needed, and now maybe our confusion is a little bit more understandable.
<I hope so to.>
Well before your reply things got worse and we were left with one green barb and
two Dalmatian mollies.
<OK.>
We had the water sample done and the aquarium said that the levels were fine and
that the deaths could have been caused by shock at the disturbance of their tank
when we added the aerator and could have churned up too much dirt when cleaning
their tank.
<Hmm... "levels were fine" covers a lot of ground. So rather than telling me
subjectively what the water chemistry/quality is, how about some numbers? Or let
me put things this way: Both fish need zero ammonia and nitrite. Mollies also
need nitrate levels less than 20 mg/l when kept in freshwater (in
brackish/marine conditions they are less sensitive). Barbs want a pH between 6.5
and 7.5, while Mollies want something between 7.5 and 8.0. Hardness is also
critical. Mollies absolutely MUST NOT be kept in water with a general hardness
less than 20 degrees dH; Barbs prefer softer water, around 5-15 degrees dH. In
terms of salinity, I STRONGLY recommend Mollies be kept at a salinity of at
least 3-5 grammes per litre; Tiger Barbs at least cannot tolerate this level of
salt for long (there are some brackish water barbs to be sure, but they're
mostly the larger species). As should be obvious, there's no overlap in what
Mollies and Barbs want, hence my advice -- based on experience -- that these
fish shouldn't be mixed. By all means try to go against Nature, but you'll
lose...>
Also, to answer your question our tank is 60 litres. [That is the measurement we
are aware of.]
And unfortunately three more mollies had been purchased before I read your
email.
<OK, 60 litres is quite a small tank, and while adequate for small community
fish like Neons, it isn't really viable long-term for any of the fish you've
got. Depending on the precise strain of Dalmatian Molly, adult females can get
to something around 8-10 cm in length, males a little less. Males can be
aggressively possessive of access to females, and a tank this size is very
definitely one male only! Black Mollies are marginally smaller, around 7 cm or
so when mature. While they could be kept in a 60 litre tank, I'd recommend
something a bit bigger.>
So, evidently it seems an increasing mess. We have one green barb and three
black mollies, and two Dalmatian mollies.
<Oh.>
We were told that the conditions and everything is fine. So it's hard to know
where to go from here.
<Horses, stables, and bolting come to mind here. In any case, I can only
reiterate something that you probably understand now anyway: fish need to be
researched before purchase. Here's the thing to do: First start off by figuring
out your precise water chemistry in terms of pH, hardness (the dH scale), and if
you can, carbonate hardness (the KH scale). Decide whether you want to add salt
to the tank or not. Then try and return the fish you currently have, and
exchange them for smaller fish suited to the tank you have. Endler Guppies,
Neons, cherry barbs, Sparkling Gouramis, Bumblebee gobies, Cherry Shrimp, dwarf
species of Corydoras, Kuhli loaches, and so on would all be inexpensive, easy to
keep animals ideally suited to 60 litre tanks. Keep suitable numbers where
required, i.e., trios (or more) of the loaches and catfish, at least six Neons,
etc. Basically you want fish no more than 3-4 cm/1-1.5" in length, except in the
case of wormy things like Kuhli that happily make do in small tanks since they
wiggle about rather than swim.>
Thank you.
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: African Knife
Problem and other questions 12/31/07
Hello again,
<Hello for the first time...>
I hope you don't mind me asking you another question. I have a 65 gallon
tank 48" by 13" and 24" tall (kinda odd shape). I am currently just
running an AquaClear 70 filter. I am worried about the oxygen levels in
the tank.
<Oh? Well, the two things to concentrate on are circulation (moving the
water from the bottom to the top) and supplementary aeration (basically
"splashing", anything that increases the surface area at the top of the
tank). Of course, if you aren't overstocked, you won't have problems.
The traditional approach is to allow 10 square inches per 1 inch of
small fish like guppies and Dwarf Gouramis. Allow two, three, four times
more "square inchage" for bigger fish. So your tank, with 624 square
inches could support 62 and a bit inches of small fish, and rather fewer
bigger fish.>
I plan on having a
African Knife, three Gouramis, 5 Congo tetras, couple Cory cats, snails,
and I'm going to try a full size Singapore Shrimp (the AK seems pretty
satisfied with his krill and blackworms at the store, I think it will be
fine).
<Hmm... famous last words. But do watch out with African Knives; though
quite placid when young, at least some specimens become rather mean as
they mature.>
No live plants, only lots of fakes. I decided against the peace lily
idea.
<Sounds wise. A dying plant will only consume oxygen...>
Do you think I need
to supplement the oxygen with a bubbler or something?
<Maybe; but do remember its circulation -- not bubbles -- that matter.
So what you want is something that pulls water from the bottom to the
top of the tank. A decent airstone will do this if weighted down to the
bottom of the tank, but so too will a filter or powerhead. Try
sprinkling some flake food at the bottom of the tank; if it sits about
or moves slowly, then you may need more circulation.>
I appreciate your time and advice.
Julie
<Happy to help.>
PS Happy New Year!
<Likewise, happy new year! Neale.>
Re: Tiger barb [and
African butterfly fish] deaths :( 12/31/07
Hiya
[Is yours an American site by the way? Just curious]
<The founder and queen bee of Wet Web Media, Bob Fenner, certainly is a
citizen of the Good Ole' US of A, but yours truly is a Brit.>
Thank you very much for all the advice.
<No problems.>
It's very helpful and hopefully now we can provide a better future for
our fish.
<Glad to help.>
Tetras were going to be the original choice - shame [understatement
really] that we didn't stick with that.
<Is always the way. Read first, plan second, buy third.>
We'll see what we can do
<Cool. Enjoy your fish, Neale.> |
FW Butterfly fish eating time
11/28/2007
Hi, I have an African butterfly and I have a problem. How do I feed it
mealworms? This is because whenever I put floating food pellet or flakes down,
all my other fishes eat before he does. Are African butterflies nocturnal? If so
is it better for me to feed it at night? And if I drop the mealworm in front of
his face it sinks and it doesn't have a chance to eat it. Should I hand-feed it?
Will he bite me if I hand-feed it? If they do happen to bite me what should I
do? Last, is African butterflies blind? Because when I put food somewhat near
them (by their tail) they don't eat it unless it's right in front of their face.
Also, he always hides in the back of the tank, is this normal? Please write back
asap. Thanks for all your help I hope I wasn't annoying):(
Thanks, Greg
<Greg, Pantodon buchholzi will only eat food within a "strike range" about 2-3
cm from the head and in two 90-degree arcs stretching out from each eye.
Everything else is ignored, end of story. What they want is small insects or
livebearer fry. Things like wingless fruit-flies work brilliantly and are cheap
and easy to obtain from reptile-centric pet stores. Or else scrabble about the
house and garden and fins small bugs. Flies, spiders, mosquito larvae and so on
are all good. Once you understand that they will only strike prey within this
kill zone, feeding them is easy. Yes, you can hand feed them, though use forceps
to hold the food near the head. If you use your fingers the fish will be scared.
No, he can't bite you! No, they're not blind: they actually have extremely good
eyesight. Yes, they are shy, and seem to work best in tanks with plenty of
floating plants. They hate open water and strong water currents. What they like
is shade. They sometimes do better in groups than singly, though they are
territorial, and this isn't a good idea in a very small tank. Pantodon is one of
my favourite fishes. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/almosperffshmonks.htm
. Cheers, Neale.>
FW Butterfly Fish Feeding
Hi, I was wondering, can I feed a African butterfly koi pellets, some
crickets and mealworms? Are they omnivores or carnivores? Also, when I feed it,
most of the other fishes always take his food. What should I do? How much should
I feed it and how many pellets or insects? Last, are they nocturnal? If so is it
better for me to feed it during the night so that no fishes will eat it? Thanks
for all for your help.
< This is a great little oddball fish from Africa. It eats insects that have
fallen into the water. It love mealworms and crickets. It cannot compete with
other fast swimming fish so it has to ambush its prey. Get some floating plants
and it will hang out in the plants for awhile. Quietly feed him a couple insects
by tossing them in front of him before know that he is bring fed. Usually they
will eat during the day and usually don't eat commercial foods.-Chuck>
African butterfly, fdg.
11/29/07
Hiya, I was wondering, how often should I feed my African butterfly? Every
day, every other day or so on? Also, how many crickets or mealworms should I
feed it? Last, do you know any good floating plants I can buy for a cheap price
and is very common to find at a pet store like PetCo or PetSmart? Thanks for all
your help.
<Ideally, feed African Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi) should be fed a modest
amount each day. As with any fish, the idea is not to stuff the fish so that it
looks bloated, but to provide a reasonable amount that keeps the fish healthy
without compromising water quality. Just make sure that the belly is gently
convex. An adult specimen probably needs 1-2 small (~5 mm body length) crickets
per day. Not feeding the fish one day per week will do no harm at all. Mealworms
need to be very small: large mealworms are often indigestible when given to
small fish. I'd personally go with other foods; wingless Drosophila (fruit
flies) can be picked up at any reptile store and make an ideal staple. I would
encourage you to train your specimens to take flake/pellet foods; these provide
a convenient and balanced diet. Crickets, unless gut-loaded, do not make a good
staple for any fish; their nutrient content is all wrong. Hand-feeding frozen
bloodworms using forceps and patience can also work very well. As for floating
plants, it's always a bad idea to buy plants simply on the price. Plants will
either thrive in your aquarium or not, so you need to establish your conditions
first. Pantodon buchholzi likes soft, acidic water conditions and not too much
strong lighting. Given that, your best bets are probably Ceratophyllum species
("hornwort") and Limnobium laevigatum ("Amazon Frogbit"). You can also never go
wrong with Ceratopteris cornuta ("Indian floating fern") so that's always an
option. Floating plants grow rapidly, so if money is tight, simply buy less of
them! If you have adequate light and the proper water chemistry, they will grow
very rapidly. Cheers, Neale.>
Feeding regime for Pantodon buchholzi
Hello!
<Hi there!>
I must first say how much I love this site and enjoy the forum, there is a
wealth of knowledge here. Thanks to all involved with it.
<Thank you for the kind words!!>
Now, on to my question (it can't ever be just a thanks, can it ;) ?). About
four days ago, I added the first one of three African Butterflyfish to be
placed in my 72 gallon plant tank; this one is female, I plan on another female
and a male. I know these fish require meaty, and preferably live, foods. I
have heard / read that crickets and other insects, frozen meaty foods, small
earthworms (I'm not sure how to keep 'em from sinking, but I'll find a way!),
and beef heart are good food options for these fish. So far, I've been feeding
with only small (1/2 to 3/8 inch) crickets.
<Sounds like you’ve done your research!>
The biggest piece of info I can't find on these guys is how much and how often
to feed them. I know I'll get it through trial and error, but would like more
details, if possible. The first night, I fed her two crickets. After the
second, I could quite clearly see the bulge of her stomach, so I've been feeding
only one cricket daily for the other three days I've had her. She seems to be
in great health, and gladly snaps up the little bugs. Is this a proper amount
of food? Should I be feeding more? Less?
<I would go with a piece of meaty food every other day and flake food on the
days meat isn’t offered. This will provide her with other things she needs
besides the meat.>
And a second part to this question (can't get off that easily, eh?). I have a
proliferation of little house spiders in my house. Some of them are not so
little, but smaller than the crickets I've been feeding. I'm a softie, so my
husband, the spiders, and I all live peacefully- unless I can feed them to
something ;).
<Ugh! I’m terrified of spiders so you’ve really given me the creeps!>
You see where this is going. Can I safely feed spiders to my butterfly? Is
there any chance of her getting harmed by them? I won't do anything to
jeopardize her, but it would sure be nice to thin down the spiders. If I really
look, I can probably find a dozen of them. It would also be nice just to know I
have something for her to eat, should I run out of crickets and not have time to
run to the store that day. Any thoughts?
<Some websites say houseflies and small spiders are safe foods for these fish
but I don’t know for sure. I would assume that in the wild they eat any bug that
gets onto the waters surface so you’re probably safe.>
And thanks a million! -Sabrina Fullhart
<You're welcome! Ronni>
Re: freshwater butterfly fish
Hey Bob,
My wife was checking out a freshwater butterfly fish, I looked them up pretty
cool its a Pantodon buchholzi .
Would they be compatible with my Bichirs (Polypterus senegalus) they appear to
be from the same general regions?
<A great choice... the Bichirs on the bottom, your African Butterflyfish at the
surface...>
Oh 1 more thing I found 2 different Ph recommendations for my Bichirs 1 was
7.2-6.8 the other was 7.0-8.0 which is more accurate.
<The former>
They don't seem to be in any danger they re very active and eating like great
whites hahaha
Thanks
Dave Siecinski
<Good. Bob Fenner>
African Butterfly
Hello all at WWM,
I recently purchased an African butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi) I've had him
for 2 days now and have been trying to get him to eat flakes or frozen food. So
far nothing. I don't know what else to try to feed this guy. Will it eventually
eat the flake or frozen or pellets I feed it?
<Probably, no.>
Or will this guy really starve himself to death?
<Much more likely.>
Thanks for all your help.
<If you had typed Pantodon buchholzi into the Google search engine on
www.WetWebMedia.com prior to purchasing, you would have found this, "While we're
at mentioning Bony Tongue fishes used by aquarists, let's mention the African or
Freshwater Butterflyfish, Pantodon buchholzi, Peters 1877. A great favorite, and
fabulous jumper... To four inches in length. Feeds on live crustaceans, insects
and fishes." -Steven Pro>
Pantodon buchholzi
Hello -
<Hi.>
I can't find any info on what the "African Butterfly" (Pantodon buchholzi) uses
the twin sets of lower, frontal spines for.
<I'm pretty certain I saw a response to this by crewmember Chuck Rambo, but just
in case, I'll toss in my $0.02. Heh, these are one of my favorite fishes,
anyway!>
Can you help me figure out what function(s) they serve, and how important they
are to the fish? Are they feelers, stabilizers, defenses?
Do you know if they are nerve-rich sensors, or primarily just spines?
<These are the spines of the ventral fins. They are very elongated, and are
specialized to help them know if there's someone below them that poses a
threat. Because they are so flexible, like little threads, they are quite good
for this purpose. I also agree with Chuck's opinion that they are a great
camouflage with floating plants. My two Pantodon are in a tank with a whole lot
of floating plants, and I must say, it can be quite a task to find them. The
ventral spines really do look just like dangling roots.>
I've seen African Butterflies with these spines nipped off by aggressive
tankmates, and wonder what effects this has on the fish.
<Well, besides being painful, it reduces their ability to tell what's
around/below them - kinda like covering up your peripheral vision, in a way. It
will also weaken the fish by opening the door for disease - any site of damage
can allow bacterial or fungal infection to set in. And, as we all know, once
one fish is sick, illness is easier to transmit to other tankmates. It is my
opinion that Pantodon should not ever be kept with aggressive or nippy tankmates
for these reasons.>
Thanks, Gabriel
<You betcha. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
African butterfly question
Hello -
I can't find any info on what the "African Butterfly" (Pantodon buchholzi) uses
the twin sets of lower, frontal spines for.
Can you help me figure out what function(s) they serve, and how important they
are to the fish? Are they feelers, stabilizers, defenses?
Do you know if they are nerve-rich sensors, or primarily just spines?
I've seen African Butterflies with these spines nipped off by aggressive
tankmates, and wonder what effects this has on the fish.
< These "Spines" are extended stiff rays from the ventral fins. The fish is a
surface feeder and is constantly looking up for a insect to fall into the water.
These fish love mealworms or small crickets. So these rays are sensors telling
the fish when something is coming up from underneath. If they are getting nipped
off then the fishes warning system is being reduced. This would make them more
likely to jump. I also think there is bit of camouflage involved too. These rays
look just like the roots of some floating plants. If I can find someone who has
personally collected these I would love to know myself.-Chuck>
Thanks,
Gabriel
2 more African Butterfly questions
Thanks for the reply.
I've been watching mine a lot (love this fish), and in addition to the other
uses those ventral fin spines no doubt have, my butterfly seems to primarily use
them to stay in place among the plants floating just beneath the surface, in the
slight current from the filter. In this way he stays in a place where bugs might
come floating by him, but can do so without wasting energy or drawing attention
to himself by swimming in place.
New question - is there any truth at all to the reports of these fish flying or
gliding or jumping up to 6 feet above the water? I have my doubts.
< It is so funny that you bring this up because a friend of mine and I were just
talking about that last weekend. Apparently the collectors years ago noticed
them "flying" out of the water while trying to catch them., I know at the
wholesaler that I frequent often that they talk about finding then in other
tanks as far as 12 feet away. They may simply jump out of the water and glide
some distances away. There may even be some movement of the pectoral fins too.
Currently no scientist is working on it but it could be down with all the modern
photography technology that exists today.>
I just don't see how they can get up the required speeds with that long flowing
tail - I wonder if the appearance of "wings" on the fishes' sides have given
credence to tall tales. It seems to me that the fishes' design and behavior are
much more consistent with the less glamorous activity of imitating a leaf, than
about aerodynamics. Those "wings" don't seem flight worthy, but they sure help
conceal that it's a fish!
I don't know if this is common, but my Butterfly is even darker on one side of
the body than the other - from above, this rare bilateral asymmetry really
enhances the appearance of a dead leaf floating partly in and out of the water -
at first, I was totally fooled into thinking that the fish was sticking half out
of the water! The dead-leaf illusion is aided by the transparent patches found
on the wings and sideways through the body (visible when looking up at the fish
with the light above).
Second new question - the African Butterfly is classified as a "bony-tongued
fish" - so does it have such a tongue?
< yes it does.>
Are there "teeth" on it?
< Itis more likely used to plug up the mouth of the fish and force water back
over the gills.>
Does it use it to chew up live prey before swallowing?
<Not really. It usually uses it's mouth to position the food and swallow it
ASAP.>
Mine won't cooperate and chew with his mouth open, and the internet is full of
the same old aquarium info, plus a whole lot of scientific papers on their
eyesight ... Can't find a thing on their tongues.
< Without people taking an interest in the fish then there will be not serious
work done.>-Chuck>
Thanks for the quality info.
Gabriel
Pantodon buchholzi, Behaviour - 08/07/2004
My butterfly fish is timid. It's always hiding in the corners and under the
flow of the filter. I don't think it's eating either. Is it sick?
<Not sick, no. Probably hungry - but more on that later. African butterflies
are very specialized fish, that require a nice, hidden spot with little (or no)
water movement where they can hang out, preferably in hanging plants. These
fish are very, very active at night - sneak out an hour or so after lights out
with a very dim flashlight and watch the butterfly - notice the extreme
difference in color from night to day, and its swimming behaviour
differences. If African butterflies are given proper care, they are very
exciting animals, both to feed and to watch at night!>
I read that butterfly fish are known for jumping out of the tank, but mine is
always hiding.
<Not at night, I'll wager - if the fish is healthy, it will be *very* active
after dark, cruising around all over the tank, jumping and playing.>
I tried feeding it live food, flakes, frozen and dried, and haven't seen it eat
anything.
<What live foods have you tried? This fish is an extremely specialized
insectivore - many individuals will not accept any foods at all other than live
insects. My female Pantodon is this way; she will not accept *anything* other
than live bugs, dropped at the surface near her. If I stop feeding her for a
while, she'll start picking off small fish and invertebrates in the tank at
night. My male, on the other hand, will eat just about anything, as long as
it's at the surface. I'd recommend that you immediately offer the fish some
live crickets (you can get them from most stores that sell reptiles, even chains
like Petco and PetSmart). You can keep the crickets in a container and feed
them a high-quality flake food for a couple days to make them more nutritious
for the butterfly. When you feed, turn off your filtration if it makes the
surface of the tank very turbulent, or the fish won't be able to feel the
insects' movements to tell where the bug is. I use a straw to hold the bug in
one spot near the butterflyfish; sometimes this is not at all necessary, if the
fish can tell where the bug is very easily.>
Is it possible that the other fish are in it's way?
<This is entirely possible. What size tank is it in? What other fish are
there? Do you have any floating plants for the butterfly to hide in? If the
fish doesn't have sufficient places to feel secure, it will become stressed out
and may decline in health.>
I haven't had it that long, is it possible that it isn't established in the tank
yet? Do you have any advise, or is it just an odd fish.
<It *IS* an odd fish, that's for sure. And one of my absolute favorites, I
might add. Provided the tank is large enough (I wouldn't keep one in any less
than a 20g tank - and that's really pushing it), and the tank is not overstocked
or have inappropriate tankmates, I think you will find this to be a very
interesting animal. Wishing you and your Pantodon well, -Sabrina>
Pantodon buchholzi, Behaviour - II - 08/11/2004
I found out the other night that my fish is nocturnal, I was glad to see it
move around.
<Ah, glad to hear it. These are fascinating fish, if you take the time to
appreciate them.>
The tank is 55g and the other fish aren't really at the top much so I don't
think that was the problem, I think it was me more than the fish. I just had to
learn it's habits.
<That you are learning about it is very commendable - thank you for taking the
time to research your animals' needs.>
I'm gonna try night feeding tonight, I think it will be successful.
<I feed my butterflies day or night, they don't mind either way. But really, I
would bet that your fish won't accept anything but live floating insects for the
time being. You really must get the fish eating - who knows when its last meal
was. Mosquitoes, houseflies, crickets (store-bought or caught), just about
anything live and wigglin' will do to get the fish to realize there is food
there. If for some reason you are unable to feed live insects, at the very
least try something high-protein that will float and use a straw to wiggle it as
though it were alive. Alas, even these tricks won't convince my Athena to bite,
but my male, Snare, will take even floating prepared foods (flake, pellet,
whatever) that I offer to the rest of the tank. It's hit-or-miss with whether
they will take dead food or not.>
I don't have any floating plants either, (what a butterfly amateur I am, the
poor fish)
<Hey, you're learning! That's what counts.>
I'm getting some though.
<Ahh, good to hear it. The fish will appreciate it immensely. Some floating
plants I use are Riccia fluitans, Hydrocotyle sp., Ceratopteris sp./water
sprite.... Oh, who knows what's all in that tank now. The fish will
*definitely* enjoy some cover.>
Thanks for the help.
<And thank you for your interest in this amazing little insectivore. Wishing
you and your Pantodon well, -Sabrina>
My question wasn't answered. Would a Freshwater Butterflyfish eat Blue Rams
if I were to get them?
< The key to compatibility is size. The FW butterflyfish and rams have pretty
similar water conditions. The butterflyfish loves mealworms and small crickets
floundering around on the surface of the water. If the butterflyfish are well
fed and the rams are too big to fit into their mouths then they should get along
just fine. If you are gone for a while and the butterflyfish gets hungry it may
attempt to take a nip at one of the rams but they will really need to be hungry
to try that.-Chuck>
Jahner
Are African Butterflies Brackish? No
Hi Everyone!
I had a run in with a snotty fish 'expert' at my LFS. He claimed that
African Butterflies (Pantodon buchholzi) were brackish and would only live about
a year in a freshwater tank. I did a lot of research on all of my fish before I
got them (while I was planning the layout of my new tank). No where did I read
that Pantodons were brackish. I'm just wondering who was right and if I need to
take them out and build a brackish tank. He also claimed that my Senegalus
polypterus were brackish as well.
Thanks for any info you can provide!
Josh
<Mmm, Pantodon is a freshwater species... see here on fishbase.org:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=2075&genusname=Pantodon&speciesname=buchholzi
Don't know where salts would come from where this fish occurs... And I kept them
for years in just straight fresh (though hard and alkaline tap...). Polypterids
are also freshwater... though they will "tolerate" some salt content (often used
on arrival from wild-import to whack at their Owees, external parasite fauna)...
Please share this input with your retail clerk and manager. Bob Fenner>
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