African Butterfly Fish

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 20:09

Just a quick question.....I've been contemplating purchasing an African Butterfly Fish for months now, but can it live in a 100litre with my female bettas?

There are no other fish in there that live on the surface.

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by **Irish_Lass** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 20:26

My friend Andy keeps these. They're stunning!

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 20:40

Im not sure if the bettas would nip at there fins And i would be worried if you have any small ish fish these things have massive mouths when fully grown and are predatory so will hunt fish that can fit in there mouth. If you want something for the surface what about marble hatchets

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 20:56

i dont have anything other than females in the tank.......

im not too keen on hatchets

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 21:04

I still wouldnt personally risk it because they do have such big mouths and do really like other fish being at the surface and some bettas do stay at the surface a fair bit. You could try it but just make sure you have a back up tank for them.

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 22:22

you think it'd attack my females? Surprised

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 22:26

There is always the risk it will if it thinks it can fit it in its mouth.

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 22:45

goodness!

maybe i wont, what you think would be the smallest size i could keep one in?

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 22:49

20G they get to 10-15cm. You could give it a go it might work if you can get a few really small butterfly fish and if your female bettas are fairy big then they might be ok.

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 23:27

aaaagh ok, hmmmmmm.

I think i may get one but i dont think i'll be risking it with a bettas & definately not with my killis!

How do you sex them?

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 23:29

Im not sure about the sexing if im honest. But i think it will be the males have longer fins and are skinnier than the females but like i said im not sure so might be worth having a look around. How are the killis doing now?

by **damo2904** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 23:49

ok, yeh am gonna do abit more research on the butterfly's first. Killis are doing great, bought 2 more pairs today, not the same type though.
One pair are Gunther's Nothobranch & the others I need to find out as can't remember from LFS now. lol.

Will update my killi thread tomorrow with pics. thumbup

by **kizno1** Sun 11 Jul 2010 - 23:51

Sounds good. What colour are the ones you dont know? are they all in the same tank.

by **damo2904** Mon 12 Jul 2010 - 0:05

its kinda red, yellow.....all different colours.

They are at the moment all together, they've been together all day, as got them this morning, i've been watching them all day though.
They all ate together with no fighting, the females all hang out together, and the males aren't really taking much notice of each other. two swim roun together now & then, one hangs out alone.

by **kizno1** Mon 12 Jul 2010 - 0:15

Fair enough. Just watch out if you do breed them you know which males and females go together or they will hybridise. Does the killi look like this?
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if it is its a Australe killi ive been thinking about getting some they have some really nice ones in my lfs
But im worried i would get the females mixed up because they look so similar and so do the males apart from colour.
These are what i have
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by **silverrabbit** Mon 12 Jul 2010 - 1:16

I deffo wouldn't risk it with the butterfly fish.. they look all nice and peaceful but as kizno said they are predatory and make short work of smaller fish. if the bettas go up for air, the butterfly might seize the opportunity, lol.

I love them but heard they're better off in a tank with larger fish

by **damo2904** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:07

So tomorrow am thinking of getting a butterfly fish.... Very Happy

I'm thinking it may live on its own, but not sure what to do with tank, no point decorating the lower level lol

by **kizno1** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:15

What size is the tank? bigger bottom dwellers should be fine. I would stay away from cichlids because of the long fins butterflys have. They will need lots of floating plant to stop them from wanting to jump.

by **damo2904** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:20

what u think would be a good minimum size in litres? I'm gonna have it seperate, i have betta tanks, a killifish tank & gonna have a butterfly fish tank.
I've read the way to sex them is the size of there anal fin?

by **kizno1** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:23

Atleast 20G IMO You could have 4-5 in a tank that size. With a few deeper boddied tetra and some bottom dwellers like BNs or a smaller type of syno.

by **damo2904** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:47

well....the only tank i have that size is my female betta tank scratch

it aint going in there!

by **kizno1** Sun 18 Jul 2010 - 22:49

Hmm I really wouldnt keep them in anything less than that because they get 10cm long and only use the upper level of the tank.

by **damo2904** Mon 19 Jul 2010 - 16:30

Well i went to lfs, and got one! Very Happy

its beautiful!!! it's name is 'Jaws' at the moment!......still trying to determine sex.

Just setting up a temp tank for it, bit confused whether it needs a filter, cause it says on net, they dont like current? would an airstone do?

will post pics shortly

by **kizno1** Mon 19 Jul 2010 - 16:56

You still need a filter. A air stone wont do anyrthing for the water quality it will just add oxygen. You could either use a normal filter and set it along the bottom of the tank or use a sponge or hang on filter. TBH a little bit of current shouldnt bother them at all.

by **damo2904** Mon 19 Jul 2010 - 17:46

Well.....it's in the females tank, i think it must be a baby, its tiny compared to my female bettas. they are checking it out, it doesnt seem bothered at all.
I'm happy for it to live in my females 100litre for the minute, they are much to big to be threatened by it.
I've put lots of floating plastic plants on the top & some poly cups floating aswell.

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