Butterflyfish
ExploreFish
Butterflyfish
Chaetodon
Butterflyfish are colorful fish that look like they have butterfly wings. They are gentle swimmers and love to explore the reef.
Habitat: Coral reefs
Appearance
The Butterflyfish is a vibrant reef fish with a laterally compressed, disc-shaped body. It typically has bright yellow, orange, black, and white patterns, often featuring vertical bands, intricate spots, and a prominent dark eyespot near its tail to confuse predators.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderPerciformesFamilyChaetodontidaeGenusChaetodon
Category
FishRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Baby butterflyfish look very different from adults and live in open water!
Some butterflyfish wear a black band across their eye, like a ninja mask!
Their flat, disc-like bodies allow them to gracefully navigate tricky coral reefs.
They change their colors to communicate with each other or to hide at night.
Special abilities
Ability
False Eye Disguise
Butterflyfish have a dark spot near their tail because it tricks predators into attacking the wrong end.
Ability
Reef Acrobat
Their flat bodies let Butterflyfish quickly dart through coral, helping them escape danger and find food.
Ability
Precision Nibbler
Butterflyfish have a small, protruding mouth that helps them carefully pick tiny food from tight crevices.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 12-30 cm
- Weight
- 0.1-0.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 5-10 years
- Swim Speed
- 8 km/h
- Maximum Depth
- 60 m
- Water Type
- Saltwater
Diet & Feeding
Butterflyfish are omnivores that mostly snack on coral polyps, tiny marine worms, and algae.
Primary Foods
- coral polyps
- small crustaceans
- marine worms
- algae
- zooplankton
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
Staghorn coral
Acropora cervicornis
Many species feed on coral polyps.
eaten by
Whitetip reef shark
Triaenodon obesus
Sharks are common predators on coral reefs.
eaten by
Leopard coral grouper
Plectropomus leopardus
Large reef fish prey on smaller butterflyfish.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
Butterfly FishCoral Fish
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Butterflyfish?
12-30 cm
How much does Butterflyfish weigh?
0.1-0.5 kg
How long does Butterflyfish live?
5-10 years
What does Butterflyfish eat?
Butterflyfish are omnivores that mostly snack on coral polyps, tiny marine worms, and algae.
How fast can Butterflyfish swim?
8 km/h
Where is Butterflyfish usually found?
Coral reefs
How does Butterflyfish hunt?
Foraging
How deep can Butterflyfish go?
60 m
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