Butterfly fish full information (ICAR)

Category Rating

Care Level: Depends on species, moderate to difficult

Temperament: Usually peaceful

Color: Vivid patterns in black, white, yellow, orange, red, and silver

Lifespan: 5-10 years

Size: 12-22cm

Diet: Omnivore

Family: Chaetodontidae

Minimum Tank Size: Most species require a 125+ gallon tank

Tank Setup: Plenty of open swimming space, plus rocks and crevices to hide in

Compatibility: Other peaceful community tank fish such as clownfish, damselfish, and tangs.

They range from 12 to 22cm (4.7 to 8.7 inches) in length; however some species such as the Saddle Butterflyfish can grow up to 30cm (12 inches).

Butterflyfish are diurnal animals, which means they are active and feed during the day and rest on the coral during the night. They mostly eat plankton, coral and sea anemones.

The smaller species tend to stay in groups, whereas the larger species are usually solitary or swim with their mating partner, with whom they mate for life. This small sized marine fish is mostly found on the coral reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, in tropical and subtropical waters.

Apperance :

       

 Butterflyfish are some of the more brightly and striking patterned fish in the sea, perhaps this is why they are so popular to aquarists.

Whilst the majority of species have vivid patterns in whites, blues, reds, oranges, yellows, and blacks, some species are duller in color, yet still with intricate patterns.

Many butterflyfish have dark bands across their eyes, and round dots on their flanks which can be confused with eyes to predators. This confuses the predators as to which way the fish is likely to flee.

They have thin, flattened, disk-shaped bodies, with an uninterrupted dorsal fin.

Behavior 

         

Butterflyfish generally stay in groups unless they are a particularly territorial species. A solitary Butterflyfish is usually travelling in search of a mate. They are one of the very few fish who find a mate, and then hunt, live and travel together for life.

Butterflyfish are extremely good swimmers, the constant strokes made by their pectoral fins allow them to move quickly and swiftly.

Due to their small size, they are able to hide themselves into crevices which, as well as being beneficial for getting food, lets them hide from predators.

Most Butterflyfish are shy and will be fine in a tank with other peaceful tank mates as long as the tank is large enough and there are plenty of hiding spaces. Some species, in particular the obligate coral feeders, are more territorial and prone to attacking if other species come into their zone.

Diet 

    These species also tend to be the more territorial species.

Butterflyfish, who are not solely coral eaters, still require a varied diet. They should be fed several times a day.

You might choose to make your own fish food, it is a lot simpler and cheaper than you might expect. You should offer them a wide variety of different foods. Some butterflyfish are omnivorous and occasionally, they will eat tiny crustaceans and planktonic animals.

Others live solely off coral polyps, so unless you are able and willing to buy live corals, you’ll want to avoid these species. Just like humans, fish need a balanced diet; too much of one thing is not good.

Their diet should consist of flakes, frozen food (you can get frozen sponge-based foods) live brine shrimp and plankton. The majority of Butterflyfish have long pointed noses which make them really adept at crevice feeding.

They mainly eat algae, corals and sponges.

Care 

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To reduce this as much as possible, you can keep them in a community tank with cleaner fish.

If you keep the tank conditions right for your fish, they are unlikely to get diseases, however improper care can lead to these diseases:. Some species of Butterflyfish are hardy and adapt well to aquarium life, whereas others are near impossible to keep.

Because Butterflyfish are extremely difficult to breed in captivity, it’s likely that your fish will need to adapt to tank life.

They are also quite vulnerable to parasite infections.

Tank condition 

         When it comes to butterflyfish, the general rules are severely limited as every species thrives on different conditions, making it difficult for aquarists to combine two or more in the same tank.

Ideally, you should be perfectly aware of the breed/specie you have and go from there. Still, following are some of the typical guidelines followed when caring for tropical fish:.

Tropical fish thrive best in temperatures between 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you’re unsure, try checking out the native environment of your specie. Multiple places for hiding is essential. For example, if it’s from the Indian Ocean, you might want to check the typical temperature in that particular area.

Butterflyfish are strictly FOWLR type or “Fish Only with Live Rock” Keep your tank BIG since the fish can be quite territorial.

Feeding 

         When it comes to feeding, the butterflyfish requires a wide variety of food options. In captivity however, aquarists supply this breed with different food types – all of which are available through your local aquarium shop. In the wild, they often feed on invertebrates and crustaceans you can find in the corals.

They can be quite hardworking, often spending 12 hours a day just hunting food.This includes: flakes, frozen foods, live brine, spirulina, and Angel Formula.

Note that you CANNOT just choose one type of food and feed this to your school on a daily basis. In the interest of accuracy, here are the best possible food choices depending on the butterflyfish you happen to own:. Rather, you should have all of these in stock and feed a different one on a routine basis.

Bannerfish – characterized by a long dorsal fin, this type of butterflyfish feed mostly on algae dried food and other meaty substitutes. They require a large tank size and can handle other breeds well, provided that you offer the right conditions. There are several ways to offer algae to your fish: allowing them to grow on the corals or simply buying a veggie clips through local aquarium and pet stores.

Pakistan Butterflyfish – this specie loves algae and invertebrates so you can also provide them with veggie clips.

Auriga Butterflyfish – algae and invertebrate eaters, this type of fish are kept in fish-only tanks.

Long Nosed Butterflyfish – they prefer to hunt for their food and must be fed frozen or dried food items.

Brown Butterflyfish – this is a favorite among aquarists and is the perfect specie if you’re just starting with the tropical butterflyfish care. Try not to put soft corals in the tank since there’s a good chance they will also feed on those if given the chance.

Check out the snout of the fish. They can either be planktivorous or feeding on invertebrates. The narrower they become, the higher the chances that they scavenge for food and eat coral polyps. Be careful with those and avoid them as a new aquarist of the breed.

Life span 

     Under the right conditions, butterflyfish can live between 8 to 10 years. In the wild, they’re only capable of living up to 7 years of age.

Common disease 

         Typically, this breed is also prone to common diseases found in other saltwater fishes kept in saltwater tanks:. Unfortunately, improper care of the butterflyfish could severely limit their lifespan to less than the 7 years typical in the wild.

  

Breeding 

     

 Unfortunately, butterflyfish aren’t exactly great parents since they don’t take the time to hatch and care for their young. Adults already require very strict environmental control – the presence of fertilized eggs only makes things harder. So far, breeding butterfly fish is a touch-and-go process with aquarists having more success in caring for newborn fish than hatching the eggs themselves. Once the fertilization occurs, the fish continues on their way, leaving the environment to complete the new life.

This is one of the reasons why breeding butterflyfish is so hard.