FAQs on Double Saddleback Butterflyfishes Related Articles: Double Saddleback Butterflyfishes Related FAQs: Butterflyfish Identification, Butterflyfish Foods/Feeding/Nutrition,  Butterflyfish Compatibility, Butterflyfish Behavior, Butterflyfish Systems, Butterflyfish Selection, Butterflyfish Disease, Hawaiian Butterflyfishes,  Raccoon B/F's, Threadfins,

A trio out for a swim in Polynesia.

Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Chaetodon ulietensis. A Butterfly With Gourmet Taste!  9/29/06 Hi, <Hi There! Scott F. here today!> I am trying to find out more info on the Chaetodon ulietensis.  I have heard that they devour Majano Anemones but would like to know if they will eat more than that if placed in a reef aquarium?   <Very likely, yes. Although they may favor a particular type of anemone, the likelihood of them picking on other similar items is too great to ignore, IMO.> Will they eat or pick at clams, SPS polyps, LPS polyps, mushrooms, etc.?  Thanks for any help you can give me.  Jeff <Unfortunately, these fishes have developed a sort of "high end cleanup crew" reputation, but the fact is they are Butterflyfishes, and certainly will munch on the gamut of typical reef inhabitants (soft corals, zooanthids, hard corals, etc.). I would only keep this animal if you are prepared for the collateral damage that they can cause to your reef system. As aquarium fish, however, they are attractive, active, and relatively adaptable. Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F.> Jeff Reed

Getting Double Saddle Butterfly to eat  - 3/1/2006 Hi Bob and Crew....hope you're all keeping well. <I am, thanks> I acquired a Double Saddle Butterfly last weekend for my 55 Gall FOWLR. <... a small world for this species> I made sure I acclimated him properly and added him to the tank on Saturday afternoon. Only other inhabitants are a couple of Green Chromis. <Can be bullies in such a sized system, tankmate> I was told by my LFS that he would eat pretty much anything..... <Mmm, when in good health, adjusted... yes> I'd done some research on your site first and found out that he is one of the easier to keep butterflies. Anyways after he'd been in the tank for around 5 hours, I added some Mysis for my Chromis and he seemed to have a bit of a go at it as well (I'm not sure if he actually ate any of it because the lights were out). <Not likely to feed the first day or two> Day 2 I gave more Mysis and as soon as it hit the water he was up looking for it, but turned his nose up at it when he saw what it was. Next day I tried again, but added some Garlic Extreme before feeding. He went into a frenzy but again never took any (I also added some very finely chopped Mussel). Day 3 (today) and same...he was actually at the front of the tank looking for food when I came home from work. <Mmm, might have damaged mouth... very common... from capture, transport, bagging...> I'm not overly concerned, because he looks a really healthy specimen. He's about 3 inches and acting fine. I'm off to my LFS tomorrow to pick up some live Brine Shrimp (does this sound OK?) <For periodic use, yes> ....can you suggest anything else to get him eating? <Posted... on WWM...> I've noticed he has a pick at the LR so hopefully he's getting some goodness out of that for now. Thanks in advance Phil P <I do hope/trust you have healthy live rock in abundance as well. Bob Fenner>
Re: Getting Double Saddle Butterfly to eat - Part II    3/2/06 Bob, thanks for the quick reply.... <Welcome> I got the Live Brine shrimp on my way home and added it to the tank. He takes the food in his mouth but then spits it back out. It's as if he wants something else instead (but I don't know what!!). His mouth looks perfectly healthy (no signs of any reddening at all, or obvious damage). <Good> There's plenty of Live Rock in there (about 60lbs, I'm adding another few pounds of cured at the weekend) <Also good> I'm a bit confused over your comment re the bullying in the tank. Do you mean the Chromis might be a bully, or the Butterfly? <The Chromis... though rare for the genus in general (in comparison to many other Pomacentrids), in such a small volume (four feet long is not much running room), even relatively "peaceful" damsels can pester easily-disturbed fishes like most all Butterflies to the point of non-feeding. This being said, it is not uncommon for new Chaetodonts to not feed for a few days after arrival. I would just keep offering an assortment of small meaty foods and observing this specimen. Bob Fenner>
Re: Getting Double Saddle Butterfly to eat - Part III  - 03/05/06 Bob, <Phil> Thought I'd give you an update. The DSB has been eating happily for the last two days now. I concocted a finely chopped mix of Mysis, Cockle and Lancefish tails and added two drops of extreme garlic per teaspoonful. I feed about 1/4 teaspoon in one go. He takes some of it in the water column and then picks the rest off the LR for a while later. The Chromis seems to like it too. Hope this helps anyone else who is looking for advice. Many Thanks Phil P <Ah, outstanding. Congratulations on your success... will post. Bob Fenner>

I recently bought a double saddle butterfly (Chaetodon ulietensis). Since the store was far from home, I asked them to pack it in a large bag with lots of water and oxygen. They did so. Unfortunately, I got stuck in traffic and it was hours before I got home. It also was very hot and the water temperature felt well above 80 when I got home. I moved the fish to a bucket in the shipping water and noticed it was gasping at the surface. I added an airstone (which I have been told may have been a mistake) and the fish seemed to do fine while I gradually added tank water until it was acclimated. I then moved it to an 80 gallon quarantine tank with excellent water quality and a low level of copper. In the quarantine, the fish was no longer gasping but was hiding a little. The next morning (about 18 hours after acclimating it), it was dead. There were no signs of anything wrong on it. In fact, it looked like a great fish even dead (good color, shape, girth, etc.) I've had a lot of success with harder to keep species than this fish. Do you have an idea from these facts what happened? Did aerating the water ionize the ammonia? How should I have acclimated this fish? Thanks for any input. >> I really like this species of Butterflyfish (have collected them in several countries in the Indo/South Pacific. And I think outside of getting stuck in the traffic you did about all you could do under the circumstances, including adding the airstone (in future, oxygen instead of ambient air and an insulated cooler for hot/cool weather are good personal transport ideas).  I doubt if you had much ammonia in the shipping water, but if you are curious, next time do test it and yes, if there is much (0.1 ppm or higher) ammonia and it's coupled with a lower pH (let's say 7.8 or lower) you might well be better off with switching the animal(s) to all newer water (buffered to about 7.8 pH, with sodium bicarbonate... the simplest, safest mech.), and from there elevate dissolved oxygen... This is a hardy species, that likely died from "just" overall stress. BTW, it does better being kept in pairs, trios. Bob Fenner

Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner