My "Edible Reef"

Cearbhaill

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Mar 22, 2003
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South Florida USA
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I have set up a new 90 gallon FOWLR tank that I shall refer to as my "edible reef". I am getting this thing ready for the long term goal of having a small group of C. ulietensis Butterfly Fish (Pacific Double Saddleback)- the only species I can determine that will work with multiples.
If anyone has any success with keeping multiple specimens of any other Butterfly species I'm all ears. I will probably keep a Dwarf Angel (are any two species of Dwarfs compatible?) as well, but want the system designed around the Butterfly's.
(Schooling Bannerfish are my "Plan B", but I prefer the Saddlebacks)

At any rate- the tank/rock/sand has cycled, has a clean up crew in, and I am populating it with a large variety of "edible" corals- mostly discards from my reef, but a few purchased things as well. I plan to let this tank mature for several months before adding the Butterfly's. I've added pod packs and substrate grunge from my reef also.

My question is regarding things you find your Butterfy or Dwarf Angels preferring to eat?
So far I have yellow polyps, green star polyps, anthelia (all culled from the reef- bad corals- bad!), zo's, discoma mushrooms, fuzzy mushrooms, several generic "brown acros" that I got as bonus frags from Reefer Madness, some encrusting Montiporas, ricordias, lobophytum, mumps leather- anything low light I can find. I will only have PC lighting on this tank- either 220 or 330 watts- whichever works out the best.

I've also planted a small variety of marine plants- I'm trying to do all I can to provide a varied diet especially for the first dicey month or so after the Butterfly's go in. Also have a couple of Epicystis anemones.

Does this sound like a plan?
Am I nuts for coming up with this?

Can you recommend any corals that Butterfly's would love?

Would putting some Condylactis anemones in there be terribly unethical?
I hate to regard them as simply a "food source" but they are cheap and plentiful.


Edit: because spelling matters
 
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I can't recommend anything, but I'd strongly encourage you to just provide the widest variety you can--and I don't think there would be a single thing wrong with putting in condy's, if they'll eat them. Condy's are tough, and will likely survive the nibbling better than most anything else. For angels, a variety of sponges--with TBS, you likely have enough variety there for a while.
 
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