Animal-World > Marine - Saltwater Fish > Marine Butterflyfish > Peppered Butterflyfish

Peppered Butterflyfish

Family: Chaetodontidae

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Chaetodon guttatissimus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Hiroyuki Tanaka

   The Peppered Butterfly fish is a pretty little thing!...but not recommended for beginners.

   Like other coral polyp eaters, the Peppered Butterflyfish can be a challenge to keep. Coral polyps can be a difficult food to provide in an average marine aquarium environment!

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

Maintenance difficulty:
   The Peppered Butterflyfish is generally difficult to keep. Generally only juveniles can be induced to eat.

Maintenance:
   Feed as most butterflyfish, live brine, marine formula, spirulina formulas.

Diseases that Marine Butterflyfish are susceptible to:
Marine Ich(white spot disease), Marine Velvet, Uronema marinum, and Lymphocystis

Foods:
   Coral polyps, algae, polychaete worms.

Social Behaviors:
   Unknown

Sex: Sexual differences:
   Unknown.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Not accomplished in captivity. See Breeding Marine Fish page for a description of how they reproduce in the wild.

Temperature:
   No special requirements.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Peppered Butterflyfish adults can grow to 12 cm ( 4.8 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 40 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   No special requirements.

Availability:
   This fish is generally rare.

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Latest Comments
how lucky can you be? I caught a gorgeous gussy at The Heads Knysna (month January 2007). No problem with teaching it to eat. Also a handnet and snorkel and goggles. Thank you. EUGENE EUGENE THERON 2007-07-26
Some of the coolest comments:
Very pleased to say that i captured a specimen of this butterfly. location : Durban, North Pier, South Africa. Date of capture : 31st August 2003. Size : approx 6cm in length. Method of capture : Snorkel,mask and hand held net. Regulations here do not allow for capture of fish with scuba gear. ( licence is required to capture and keep local marine specimens ) comment : Local name as per Smiths Fishes is a Gorgeous Gussy. I put the fish into my main display tank shortly after arriving home from the dive, within two hours the fish was pecking at the Tetra-bits i had put in the tank. The following morning the fish was eating a bit of the Tetra-bits, six days later he has made his presence in the tank well known to the other occupants and fights vigorously for food. Kevin Jordan Email : kevinj60@hotmail.com Kevin Jordan 2003-09-06

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Author: David Brough. CFS.