food falls from the sky, and the butterfly…

[Magnum Man29 143]

so, my butterfly is struggling, it’s not at all getting nipped up, but observing the tank, they appear to be solitary critters, and I think what is happening, is all the residents, both cichlids and tetras, see the butterfly swimming on the surface, they look like they assume food is up on top, which causes a frenzy ( this is usually at 1st light ), and even the smallest of tetras are following it around. I think, looking for food… this may be my fault for feeding them, if they are crowding around the butterfly, in an attempt to distract the other fish from the butterfly… the butterfly is not getting damaged, physically, but it seems like it’s getting more social attention than it’s comfortable with… we’ll see if everything works out, and they all get used to each other, ( everything seems to settle out after the main light has been on for several hours ), or if relocation is required… so far the butterfly is not panic leaping, and is not getting tattered in anyway, just seems highly anoid about everyone following it around, and roams the tank, looking for a solitary spot…

 

[Back in the fold2 1]

Things should settle down once everyone gets used to each other but isn’t your Pantodon a slow moving fish ? He might be better off by himself or with a few other slow moving solitary fishes like a Leaf Fish .
Also , try some live foods out on him . I know he would certainly like my favorite live food , wingless fruit flies , but small crickets might be pretty choice for him too . Surface feeding fish are cool !

 

[GaryE28 143]

It's a high stress set up for a Pantodon, with some of those tankmates. Approaches from below are upsetting to a fish with their ways. He also has very tempting fins for many other fish who may want to sample them. That's noted in the linked article, but is also something that jumped out (no pun intended) when I first saw them. Those fins would look tasty to a lot of tetras.

Friends who have collected often in the region they come from have noted they've never seen them in the wild, even if they are common enough. They must gather in specific habitats, the way hatchet fish do in Amazonia.

Pantodon buchholzi (African Butterfly Fish)

The common name of this surface-dwelling species is derived from it's appearance when viewed from above, the large pectoral fins giving it the appearance of a butterfly. In reality, these fins serve a dual purpose. They help to camouflage the fish, making it look like a dead leaf floating on the...

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