Pet Care Home
Fresh and Saltwater Aquarium Forum and Articles
Animal-World
Information
Bookmark and Share
Special Features
Marine Aquarium
Fish Libraries
Marine Aquarium Information
Connect with us on Facebook
Watch us on YouTube
Follow us on Twitter



Marine Butterflyfish

Family: ChaetodontidaeSunset Butterflyfish, Chaetodon pelewensisSunset ButterflyfishChaetodon pelewensisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

     Butterflyfish, together with the angelfish, are probably the most strikingly beautiful of saltwater fish.

     Butterfly fish are harder to keep as a rule than angelfish because of their specialized diet. Some are obligate coral feeders so unless you are willing to buy live corals for food, these ones should be avoided.
     The Raccoon Butterflyfish, Copper-banded Butterflyfish, and Merten's Butterflyfish have been used to help rid reef aquariums of the glass anemone aiptasia. In general though, many butterflyfish are a poor choice for a reef aquarium since their natural food often consists of coral polyps.

Click on a Category (or scroll down to the images) to acess each type of Marine Butterflyfish:

1. Butterflyfish: Most Adaptible

Some may be reef safe   

Primarily noncoralline invertebrate feeders
Diversified and varied diets make them more likely to accept aquarium foods
.

2. Butterflyfish: Adaptable to Difficult Most are not reef safe    Variable diets that include stony corals, but can also include invertebrates and algae. Require special attention to diet and may require live foods.
3. Butterflyfish: Extremely difficult to Impossible Not reef safe    Specialized feeders that are obligate corallivores. Feed exclusively on stony corals. Almost never adapt to aquarium foods and very rarely survive.
     These catagories are based primarily on the butterflyfish's willingness to accept aquarium fare, as outlined by Scott W. Michael in his excellent book, Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes: Reef Fishes Series. Keep in mind that other environmental factors such as the water parameters, decor, and tank mates can also effect how successfully these fish will be adapted and sustained in the aquarium environment.

For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Fourspot Butterflyfish

Fourspot Butterflyfish on the Reef

Butterflyfish: Click on the small images below
for more information about each one.

Butterflyfish: Adaptable to Difficult
Copperband ButterflyfishGolden Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Copperband Butterflyfish
Chelmon rostratus
Click for more info on Golden Butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
Klein's ButterflyfishLong-nosed Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Klein's Butterflyfish
Chaetodon kleinii
Click for more info on Long-nosed Butterflyfish
Forcipiger flavissimus
Merten's ButterflyfishPakistani Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Merten's Butterflyfish
Chaetodon mertensii
Click for more info on Pakistani Butterflyfish
Chaetodon collare
Pebbled ButterflyfishPeppered Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Pebbled Butterflyfish
Chaetodon multicinctus
Click for more info on Peppered Butterflyfish
Chaetodon guttatissimus
Philippine Chevron ButterflyfishRaccoon Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Philippine Chevron Butterflyfish
Chaetodon xanthurus
Click for more info on Raccoon Butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula
Rainford's ButterflyfishSaddled Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Rainford's Butterflyfish
Chaetodon rainfordi
Click for more info on Saddled Butterflyfish
Chaetodon ephippium
Spot Banded ButterflyfishSunset Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Spot Banded Butterflyfish
Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
Click for more info on Sunset Butterflyfish
Chaetodon pelewensis
Teardrop ButterflyfishThreadfin Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Teardrop Butterflyfish
Chaetodon unimaculatus
Click for more info on Threadfin Butterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
White-face Butterflyfish
Click for more info on White-face Butterflyfish
Chaetodon mesoleucos

Butterflyfish: Difficult to Impossible
Bennett's ButterflyfishChevron Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Bennett's Butterflyfish
Chaetodon bennetti
Click for more info on Chevron Butterflyfish
Chaetodon trifascialis

Butterflyfish: Most Adaptable
Black and White HeniochusIndian Butterflyfish
Click for more info on Black and White Heniochus
Heniochus acuminatus
Click for more info on Indian Butterflyfish
Chaetodon mitratus
South African ButterflyfishVagabond Butterflyfish
Click for more info on South African Butterflyfish
Chaetodon marleyi
Click for more info on Vagabond Butterflyfish
Chaetodon vagabundus

Butterflyfish: Don't see your favorite here?
Send us a picture and/or description and we'll try to include it!
Submit it Here

Description:
     Butterflyfish have a oval shaped body that is very thin laterally. This shape, along with a protruding mouth, allow them to move among the rocks on a coral reef and find food in the nooks and crannies there. Of course almost all butterflyfish are not recommended for reef aquariums because of their habit of eating corals!

Fresh and Saltwater Aquarium Forum and Articles

Care and feeding:      Most members of this family are grazers that feed on algae, sponges and corals. However, some are omnivorous and eat small and planktonic animals. Young fish may be easier to acclimate to aquarium conditions and should be fed several times a day.
     All butterfly fishes should be offered a large variety of food including live brine, flakes, and frozen foods of all kinds including Formula I, Formula II, Angel Formula and spirulina. Several sponge based frozen foods are now available and can be fed to butterflyfish.

Breeding:      Marine butterflyfish have not reportedly been spawned successfully in captivity. There are, however, reports of some success in rearing wild collected larvae of some of the corallivorous butterflyfish. It is hoped these captive reared fish will be adapted to accept aquarium foods, and thus broaden the species selections that can be sustained in captivity.
   See Marine Fish Breeding.  for information on reproductive habits.


Click to see more Marine - Saltwater Fish
Back to Marine - Saltwater Fish





Copyright © [Animal-World] 1998-2010. All rights reserved.

Using cached version