Butterflyfish
Butterflyfish, when properly cared for, can make beautiful and distinctive additions to fish only marine aquariums. Often large and usually not suited for those with smaller aquariums, nor those of the faint of heart. Nevertheless, when fed a varied diet and kept in pristine conditions, Butterflyfish will usually thrive. That is, if you choose the right species. With Butterflyfish, usually a fish is going to survive, or it's not. Many species simply cannot be kept in captivity, and potential keepers must take care to only purchase those species that have a fighting chance. Also, be very picky about which specimen you choose- any sign of mishandling should be taken as a red flag.
The following species are relatively hardy and an experienced aquarist should have no trouble with them, so long as they are diligent.
| Common name | Image | Taxonomy | Reef safe | Care Level | Description | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copperbanded butterflyfish | Chelmon rostratus | Caution | Difficult | Silver with black edged gold stripes, a long nose, and a black eyespot on the dorsal fin. | 700120000000000000020 cm (7.9 in) | |
| Schooling bannerfish | Heniochus diphreutes | No | Moderate | Sometimes referred to as the "Poor Man's Moorish Idol" because of the resemblance. White and black striped with yellow caudal fin and a dorsal fin that forms a long, thin banner. | 700121000000000000021 cm (8.3 in) | |
| Longnose butterflyfish | Forcipiger flavissimus | No | Moderate | From the pectoral fins forward, black above the eye and silver below, with an exceptionally mouth. Past the pectoral fins, bright yellow with an eyespot on the anal fin. | 700122000000000000022 cm (8.7 in) | |
| Raccoon butterflyfish | Chaetodon lunula | No | Moderate | Very distinctive and complexly colored. Is mostly yellow with a darker saddle and a black and white mask. | 700120000000000000020 cm (7.9 in) | |
| Redback butterflyfish | Chaetodon paucifasciatus | No | Moderate | White with black stripes that form chevrons on the side and a bright red patch on the posterior. | 700114000000000000014 cm (5.5 in) | |
| Merten's butterflyfish | Chaetodon mertensii | No | Moderate | White with fuzzy black stripes and a yellow posterior. Also has a black line through the eye. | 700112500000000000012.5 cm (4.9 in) | |
| Teardrop butterflyfish | Chaetodon unimaculatus | No | Moderate | Completely yellow with the exception of black stripes at the base of the caudal fin and through the eye, and an eyespot directly below the dorsal fin. | 700120000000000000020 cm (7.9 in) | |
| Latticed butterflyfish | Chaetodon rafflesii | No | Moderate | Very similar to C. unimaculatus, but with scales that are brighter than the body, forming a lattice-like pattern, and lacking the eyespot. | 700118000000000000018 cm (7.1 in) | |
| Pacific double saddle butterflyfish | Chaetodon ulietensis | No | Moderate | Silver with two dark saddles over the body (plus a dark mask) and yellow dorsal and caudal fins. | 700115000000000000015 cm (5.9 in) | |
| Sickle butterflyfish | Chaetodon falcula | No | Moderate | Often confused with C. ulietensis, but easily distinguished. The saddles are wedge shaped rather than stripes and do not reach the underside. Overall more yellow coloring. | 700120000000000000020 cm (7.9 in) | |
| Threadfin butterflyfish | Chaetodon auriga | No | Moderate | White anterior with thin black stripes at 45 and 120 degree angles from the head. Posterior is yellow, but with a black wedge shape where the stripes meet the yellow coloring. | 700123000000000000023 cm (9.1 in) | |
| Tinker's butterflyfish | Chaetodon tinkeri | No | Moderate | White with small black spots, a yellow mask, and a black dorsal fin. | 700115000000000000015 cm (5.9 in) | |
| Masked butterflyfish | Chaetodon semilarvatus | No | Moderate | Bright lemon yellow with subtle vertical orange stripes and a black splotch behind the eye. | 700123000000000000023 cm (9.1 in) |
Read more about this topic: List Of Marine Aquarium Fish Species