Common Names: Lemon Butterflyfish (Milletseed Butterflyfish) Care Level: Moderately easy Adult Size: 5.1in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Varied diet, including marine fish, crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 100gal (379l)
Narrative: Can be added to a reef aquarium with caution. Feeds mainly on zooplankton in the wild; will occasionally pick at large-polyped stony corals in the aquarium. One of the most common Hawaiian butterflyfishes, this species is relatively easy to keep and one of the better members of the genus for beginners. Should be provided with plenty of swimming room and nonaggressive tankmates. Can be kept singly, in pairs, or in small groups, but all individuals should be introduced simultaneously. A peaceful species, it will not bother other fishes, including its close relatives. Unfortunately, its brilliant yellow attire tends to fade in captivity. A diet including vitamin-enriched and colour enhancing foods may be beneficial.
Common Names: Dot-and-Dash Butterflyfish Care Level: Difficult Adult Size: 5.0in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Western Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Feed marine fish, crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 75gal (284l)
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Another of the butterflyfishes that has a mixed survival rate in captivity. Although it feeds on coral polyps in the wild, this species will typically accept substitute foods, including finely chopped, fresh or frozen seafoods. It can be kept with other butterflyfishes, including members of its own species. To keep more than one individual, add both to the aquarium simultaneously.
Common Names: Bluespot butterflyfish Care Level: Extremely difficult Adult Size: 5.9in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western and South Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Difficult to feed. It feeds almost entirely on Acropora corals in the wild and is reluctant to accept substitutes in captivity. Try vitamin-enriched live brine shrimp, clam on the half shell, or mashed squid or shrimp on a bleached stony coral skeleton. Once the individual is feeding, offer crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 75gal (284l)
Narrative: Not suitable for the majority of reef aquariums. Will eat stony coral polyps, but may be kept with certain soft corals. Adults develop distinctive blue flashes on their sides, but this pretty species does not have a good record of adapting to captivity. (Some sources suggest it is easy to keep and will even accept flake food, but this is far from a common experience.) More than one adult can be kept per tank, if they are introduced at the same time. Will tolerate other chaetodontids in its tank.
Common Names: Spotbanded butterflyfish (Punctato Butterflyfish) Care Level: Moderately easy Adult Size: 4.7in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Varied diet, including both meaty foods and vegetable matter, such as marine algae and Spirulina.
Tank Size For Adult: 75gal (284l)
Narrative: Not suitable for the reef aquarium. A relatively hardy species that will accept most types of fish foods, including finely chopped seafoods, baby brine shrimp, frozen preparations, and flake foods. Because a good deal of its diet includes algae, it should be fed a frozen preparation that includes marine algae or Spirulina algae. Has a relatively small mouth and may have trouble ingesting larger pieces of food, including adult brine shrimp. Can be shy initially; does best if housed with peaceful tankmates and can be kept in pairs in larger tanks and with other butterflyfishes. Similar to C. pelewensis, but this species has vertical, rather than slanting, body bars.
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish.
Diet: Varied diet, including meaty foods and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 100gal (379l)
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Feeds on small-polyped stony corals, especially Pocillopora spp. in the wild. Not to be confused with the similarly named Foureye Butterflyfish (C. capistratus). This is a Pacific species that is generally considered a difficult fish to keep. Tends to be shy and is often reluctant to feed, especially if initially housed with boisterous tankmates. Requires a peaceful community tank with several suitable hiding places. Some individuals will rapidly acclimate under these conditions, while others will take more coaxing to catalyse a feeding response. Live foods, pieces of live rock with some encrusting invertebrates and algae on them, or a tank with a lush growth of filamentous algae will assist in their acclimation.
Common Names: Latticed Butterflyfish (Raffles’ Butterflyfish) Care Level: Moderately easy Adult Size: 5.9in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Feed marine fish, crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 100gal (379l)
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Cannot be trusted with most stony or soft corals, zoanthids, or anemones. Brightly colours with a distinctive crosshatch pattern suggested by its common name, this species is relatively easy to maintain if kept in a peaceful community tank with numerous hiding places. Will usually accept fresh, chopped seafoods and frozen brine shrimp soon after being introduced, but reluctant individuals may have to be tempted with live brine shrimp or black worms. Can be kept in pairs and with other butterflyfish species. When sleeping or stressed, this species becomes darker and exhibits a dark blotch on the anterior part of the body. Will often display this colour pattern during the day for some time after it is initially placed in its new home, but even so it will feed and behave normally.
Common Names: Golden Butterflyfish (Semilarvatus Butterflyfish, Blue-Mask Butterflyfish) Care Level: Moderately difficult Adult Size: 9.1in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: individuals vary in their willingness to feed. Offer live black worms, clam on the half shell, live or frozen mysid shrimp, or vitamin-enriched brine shrimp to induce a feeding response. Once they are eating, vary the diet, and include frozen preparations for herbivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 135gal (511l)
Narrative: Not suitable for a reef aquarium that contains stony corals, although it can be kept with some soft corals, such as Sinularia spp. A majestic Red Sea endemic, this beautiful fish can be a bold, relatively hardy aquarium fish, if, acquired as a healthy, younger specimen. Smaller individuals acclimate more readily and a re more likely to accept substitute foods, while larger fish sometimes refuse aquarium fare or are quite finicky. It grows to a large size and needs plenty of swimming room. Best kept with peaceful species. Can be kept in pairs or in small groups.
Common Names: Speculum Butterflyfish (Ovalspot Butterflyfish, Mirror Spot Butterflyfish) Care Level: Difficult Adult Size: 5.9in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian and Western Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Butterflyfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish. Diet: Difficult to feed. Relies heavily on stony coral polyps and coral mucus in the wild. Try vitamin-enriched live brine shrimp, clam on the half shell, black mussels, or mashed squid or brine shrimp on a bleached stony coral skeleton. Once eating, it can be fed a varied diet of crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 75gal (284l)
Narrative: Not suitable for reef aquariums that contain stony corals, but may be kept with certain soft corals. One of the many Butterflyfishes that fed almost exclusively on corals in the wild and are reluctant to accept substitute foods in captivity. This is particularly true for very small juveniles and large adults. Even individuals that pick at live foods rarely get enough to eat. This species has a greater chance of surviving if kept with nonaggressive tankmates, which should include one of the hardier butterflyfish species to encourage feeding behaviour.
Origin/Habitat: Hawaiian, Johnston, Marshall and Cook Islands
Temperament/Behaviour: Moderately Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Butterflyfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish.
Diet: Varies diet, including marine fish, crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 100gal (379l)
Narrative: Not suitable for the reef aquarium. Will eat tubeworms and may nip polyps of some soft corals, gorgonians, and large-polyped stony corals. A resident of the deep reef, this uniquely attractive fish is collected by specialists who demand and receive a premium for their efforts. Will readily accept most foods if water parameters are suitable and it is not being bullied by established tank residents. Tends to be quite bold, spending most of its time in the open, but should have several suitable hiding places. Not overly aggressive, but may quarrel with members of its own kind or with closely related species. Sometimes available in pairs. Best kept in a dimly lit tank, but specimens can acclimate to the higher illumination levels of shallow-water reef aquarium.
Common Names: Doublesaddle Butterflyfish (False Falcula Butterflyfish
Care Level: Moderately easy
Adult Size: 5.9in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Moderately aggressive
Compatible Tank mates: Cardinalfish, Butterflyfish, Rabbitfish, Dwarf Wrasses, Anemonefish, Firefish.
Diet: Varies diet, including meaty foods and vegetable matter.
Tank Size For Adult: 100gal (379l)
Narrative: Not suitable for the reef aquarium. Will eat tubeworms, mushroom corals, anemones, and stony corals. This is a commendable and hardy butterflyfish species. Although it can be shy initially, it will settle down and eat most foods offered if provided with places to hide and relatively peaceful tankmates. Once it is adjusted, it will become an aggressive feeder that can compete with most other fish species. Smaller specimens are to be preferred, as large adults may be reluctant to feed initially. They can be kept together in larger tanks and will tolerate the presence of other members of the family. Can be mistaken for the related and similar looking C.falcula.
