# Raccoon Butterflyfish (*Chaetodon lunula*) The Raccoon Butterflyfish has a distinctive black mask and is very curious. It loves to swim around coral reefs looking for food. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Coral reefs - **Also known as:** Lunula Butterflyfish, Moon Butterflyfish ![Raccoon Butterflyfish](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424500/objects/4772.jpg) ## Appearance The Raccoon Butterflyfish has a bright yellow body with a distinctive black band across its eyes, resembling a mask. A white band borders the mask, and a prominent black spot near its tail resembles a false eye, setting it apart from other reef fish. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Perciformes - **Family:** Chaetodontidae - **Genus:** Chaetodon ## Interesting facts - At night, their colors subtly shift, making them harder to spot in the dark! - Sometimes they help keep corals clean by nibbling on tiny, unwanted bits. - These fish are like loyal partners, often swimming with the same mate for years! - They use their long snouts to pick tiny snacks from coral crevices. ## Special abilities - **Masked Master:** Raccoon Butterflyfish has a black eye band that helps them camouflage from predators. - **Spot Dodger:** Raccoon Butterflyfish has a false eye spot that helps them confuse attacking predators. - **Night Forager:** Raccoon Butterflyfish can forage at dusk/night, which helps them find food when predators are scarce. - **Coral Guardian:** Raccoon Butterflyfish can nibble algae off corals that helps them keep reefs healthy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-20 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-0.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-7 years - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 30 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding These fish are omnivores, munching on tiny invertebrates, algae, and coral polyps. - **Primary Foods:** coral polyps, small crustaceans, algae, worms, sea anemones - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Whitetip reef shark (*Triaenodon obesus*) — Large sharks hunt these fish. - **Eaten by:** Leopard coral grouper (*Plectropomus leopardus*) — Groupers are common predators in reefs. - **Eats:** Staghorn coral (*Acropora digitifera*) — Feeds on polyps for energy. - **Eats:** Cauliflower coral (*Pocillopora damicornis*) — A food source in their habitat. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Raccoon Butterflyfish? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Raccoon Butterflyfish? 15-20 cm ### How much does Raccoon Butterflyfish weigh? 0.1-0.2 kg ### How long does Raccoon Butterflyfish live? 5-7 years ### What does Raccoon Butterflyfish eat? These fish are omnivores, munching on tiny invertebrates, algae, and coral polyps. ### How fast can Raccoon Butterflyfish swim? 5 km/h ### Where is Raccoon Butterflyfish usually found? Coral reefs ### How does Raccoon Butterflyfish hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/amy-b-h-greenwell-ethnobotanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [National Tropical Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/national-tropical-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Raccoon Butterflyfish: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon-butterflyfish)