Are Banner (heniochus) fish reef safe?

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by marlinman, Sep 21, 2010.

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  1. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    According to a LFS that I was at last week he was selling the Banner fish as reef safe. Ok, I didn't realize (according to aquatic connection) that they feed on zooplankton and are in fact reef safe. If anyone can dispute this I'd like to know as I might buy a few. Thanks.
    Butterfly Fish, saltwater fish aquarium - Aquatic Connection
     
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  3. Siddique

    Siddique Dragon Wrasse

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    The schooling banners are but the long fin banners aren't.
    They're really difficult to tell apart.
     
  4. country1911

    country1911 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    In fact I have never seen a schooling bannerfish for sale, local or online. I think this has to do with the difficulty in telling them apart; companies sell them as not reef safe "just in case."
     
  5. xmetalfan99

    xmetalfan99 Giant Squid

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    The reef safe ones have a blackish clear side fin. The ones with a yellowish side fin are not. The latter are the only ones i ever see for sale.
     
  6. oceanparadise1

    oceanparadise1 Fire Squid

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    They are coral nippers from what ive been told. And ive never seen a schooling one for sale just the non-reef safe ones.
     
  7. jonjonwells

    jonjonwells Great Blue Whale

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    There are actually about 6 species that look almost exactly alike. The only one that is 99% reef safe is the Heniochus diphreutes. As with any fish... there is always that one.
     
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  9. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    Thanks for the info. I'm going down to the store tomorrow and take another look. They might be gone as I saw them there last week. They had 5 or 6 of them together for $40 each.