The scythe butterflyfish, Prognathodes falcifer is a rare coolwater fish which comes from the East Pacific Ocean in southern california, USA to Baja California, Mexico. Apparently, this species occur in shallower waters in the U.S. where it is not legal to collect but it occurs in really deep waters in Mexico where it is possible but more difficult to collect. This species hasen’t been collected since 2001 so it is exceedingly rare in captive aquaria. There is a single pair of this relatively local beauty which has resided at the Denver Downtown Aquarium for 7 years in which time they have grown to become exceptional specimens. The video below was filmed just last week, we hope it tickles that fish fancier funny bone.
The exceedingly rare scythe butterflyfish, Prognathodes falcifer
Jake Adams
Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.
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