How do you tell which of the 2 Heniochus Btrflys is the reef safe one?

pmrossetti · 09/22/2009, 06:09 PM

I read there's 2 kinds. One reef safe one not. So can you tell?

edsbeaker · 09/24/2009, 10:05 AM

The two that you are probably talking about are Heniochus diphreutes & Heniochus acuminatus.
The one that is "considered" reef safe, (should still be watched) is Heniochus diphreutes.

I have read that you can tell the difference by a couple of ways, snout, rounded chest, but the only way I can tell the difference is by the third way, the last black band. In H. diphreutes the black band ends at the corner of the anal fin and in H. acuiminatus the black band ends up higher on the anal fin.

Vividaquariums.com has very good pictures and explanations of the difference between the two. Look in the fish section under butterflies. Each one has a picture so that you can really see the difference.

09/22/2009, 06:09 PM	#1
pmrossetti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cali. Posts: 3,199	How do you tell which of the 2 Heniochus Btrflys is the reef safe one? I read there's 2 kinds. One reef safe one not. So can you tell?

09/24/2009, 10:05 AM	#2
edsbeaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 857	The two that you are probably talking about are Heniochus diphreutes & Heniochus acuminatus. The one that is "considered" reef safe, (should still be watched) is Heniochus diphreutes. I have read that you can tell the difference by a couple of ways, snout, rounded chest, but the only way I can tell the difference is by the third way, the last black band. In H. diphreutes the black band ends at the corner of the anal fin and in H. acuiminatus the black band ends up higher on the anal fin. Vividaquariums.com has very good pictures and explanations of the difference between the two. Look in the fish section under butterflies. Each one has a picture so that you can really see the difference. __________________ Marilyn RedSea Max-E 260 Last edited by edsbeaker; 09/24/2009 at 10:20 AM.