# butterfly fish?



## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

i have a 15 gallon fairly heavily planted tank that has fine gravel substrate with 5 zebra danios, 2 platies, 2 mollies, 2 cories, and a dwarf gourami in it...are any of those fish compatible with a butterfly fish? basically im wondering what would i have to get rid of to be able to get a butterfly fish or would it even be worth it?

tia!


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

In My Opinion, If it was me I would get one in a Heart beat,
I really like the Butterfly fish.
I have heard stories of them eating other fish, but I have never seen this
with the ones I have had.
I can believe it with really small fishses, but if you feed it well, he should pretty much stay to himself.
I use to feed mine flys and such, he loved flys........


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

my african butterfly loved flies, moths, may flys, mosquitos, grasshoppers.


it may eat your zebra danios if they are small.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

my zebra danios arent small....so yall think i could get one? AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
i love those fish!!!!!!!!!! whoohooo!!!! lol im excited if you couldnt tell


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2005)

lol. they are really cool fish. ive never had one vbut i've considered it. however, it kinda disapoints me that they stay at the top...do the ALWAYS stay at the top of the water?


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

Pretty much, unless you open the lid and they are scared.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

could it jump out? because a small amount of my tank isnt covered by the hood...it is enough room for it to get out if it wanted to, though


edit: it will be fine in a 15 gallon right?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Oh, yes, it could jump out, for those "wings" aren't just decorations. Pantodons are tremendous jumpers. Get that lid secure or listen for the nightly "thump" of the Butterfly hitting the floor.
The only fish in your tank I would worry about is the gourami, but there's no way to be sure what will happen.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

ok i will fix the cover...and if the gourami starts being aggressive toward it i could take him back to the pet shop or something...how could i feed him flies? someone mentioned that but i dont get how i could....just kill them and set them on top of the water? or how?


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

I may be getting a 47 gallon, with 3 leapard bush fish,
1 marbled bichir,
maybe some type of cat,
could I have one???


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

this thread is for butterfly fish...shouldnt you start a new thread?


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

The Only time my BF ever did anything that seemed to be jump out of the water is at feeding time, They seem to be pretty violent eaters, lol
However, they will go into the tank and swim around if they feel they are threatend by other fish.
I've seen the ones I use to have do it many times.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

oh, i thought he was asking about the catfish. 
sorry


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

So can I have one, (BF)


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

it sounds okay, but im not an expert on these guys, so dont take my word for it.


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

O, thanks anyway,


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

If you get rid of your zebra danios, then yes you can have a BF, however a BF will be fine in the other setup you mentioned.


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

do you mean mine?


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

yeah, they may eat the danios. I have one in a 55 gallon with gouramis. they get along fine, the butterfly nudges them from the top when they come up to breathe. it'll love any sof bodied bug, flies, moths, may flys, mosquitos, grasshoppers. I throw them in live and watch it go into action. especially when you lower the water level, it will actually jump out of the water and catch it in mid air. pretty cool.


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

I don't have danios,
to stop confusion,

I will be getting,
3 leapard bush fish,
1 marbled bichir,
can I have a BF???


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

I use to have mine with danios, neons, and a bunch of other tetras, and lord only knows what else now "can;t remember that far back, in my 75g,
but mine never bothered a one of them.
Unless for reason through the years they have gotten more aggrissive, I know breading and so on can change the attatudes of many different animals and things.........IMHO


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## j55 (Apr 25, 2005)

I would be worried about the BF getting eaten!


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## Guppy123 (Jul 24, 2005)

Just one quik question, I have a 3.5" opaline gourami, in my 30g, do you think they would bother eachother?


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