Keeping the African Freshwater Butterfly Fish

[findi]

Hi All,
In habits, appearance, and evolutionary history, the African Butterfly Fish, Pantodon buchholzi, is one of the most unusual of all aquarium species. Yet despite having been in the trade for over 100 years, this “freshwater flying fish” (a misnomer, see below) gets little attention. Captive breeding is challenging but possible, and its fantastic hunting behaviors are thrilling to observe. I helped to set up an African Butterfly Fish exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, and was not at all surprised when it became a great favorite. Most of the visitors I spoke with were astonished to learn that such an “exotic” creature, worthy of a large zoo exhibit, was available at many pet stores! Read article here The Freshwater African Butterfly Fish - Care, Breeding, Behavior
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Thanks, Frank
My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog

 

[aliray]

Very interesting article Frank, thanks for sharing

 

[starrynightxxi]

I've kept these guys in the past. They're very interesting, and not terribly hard to keep, but seem to prefer a lower surface current than most tank/filter set-ups provide, as you say in the article. Definitely calls for a little creativity.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Great article! I love African butterflies and had kept one for two years, at first he would only eat crickets and other feeder bugs, but one day he started eating omega one flakes. I still fed him live on a weekly basis, but no longer daily.

Mine did wonderful in a heavily planted 20g bow betta sorority. One day I was upgrading them to my larger aquarium after re homing my oscar and big spot syndocus catfish when he suddenly disappeared. I looked all over for him but never found him. I wonder if he had died someone and my huge mystery snail ate him during the night.

He had the most amazing colors, metallic gold and red spots in his pectoral fins. This photo was taken a week after he jumped out of the tank, I scared him during a water change, so his fins are a little more raggedy.

 

[MikeyTN]

I saw them at my local fish store and find them to be quite interesting. But they would never last in my tank as I have several aggressive surface feeders.

 

[findi]

I saw them at my local fish store and find them to be quite interesting. But they would never last in my tank as I have several aggressive surface feeders.

Hi Mikey,

Good decision...they don't compete well, even with smaller fishes,

Enjoy, Frank

 

[findi]

Great article! I love African butterflies and had kept one for two years, at first he would only eat crickets and other feeder bugs, but one day he started eating omega one flakes. I still fed him live on a weekly basis, but no longer daily.

Mine did wonderful in a heavily planted 20g bow betta sorority. One day I was upgrading them to my larger aquarium after re homing my oscar and big spot syndocus catfish when he suddenly dissipated. I looked all over for him but never found him. I wonder if he had died someone and my huge mystery snail ate him during the night.

He had the most amazing colors, metallic gold and red spots in his pectoral fins. This photo was taken a week after he jumped out of the tank, I scared him during a water change, so his fins are a little more raggedy.

Hi..I've always been amazed at how even quite large fish can be consumed overnight in some tanks; some are quite unique in pattern..unfortunately, photo did not show up when I clicked, best, gfrank

 

[findi]

I've kept these guys in the past. They're very interesting, and not terribly hard to keep, but seem to prefer a lower surface current than most tank/filter set-ups provide, as you say in the article. Definitely calls for a little creativity.

Thnaks,,,yes, surface movement can make a huge difference in how they do, enjoy best, Frank

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Hi..I've always been amazed at how even quite large fish can be consumed overnight in some tanks; some are quite unique in pattern..unfortunately, photo did not show up when I clicked, best, gfrank

Here you go

http://www.bettafish.com/picture.php?albumid=2065&pictureid=19176

http://www.bettafish.com/picture.php?albumid=2065&pictureid=52073