The threadfin butterflyfish might be plain among the Chaetodon and not frequently celebrated by saltwater fish keepers, but it’s still an iconic species on tropical coral reefs. Also known as the Auriga butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga is incredibly hardy, adapts very well…
Roa haraguchiae, an Exciting New Species of Butterflyfish
Roa haraguchiae is the newest species of Chaetodontidae and adds a sixth member to the deepwater Roa genus of butterflyfish. The description of an official new species is usually very exciting but it’s an even more special occasion when it’s a butterflyfish. …
Misbarred Chaetodon octofasciatus is a Whole New Level of Weird
The eightbanded butterflyfish is a species that isn’t exactly ‘celebrated’ in the aquarium hobby, but this specimen is sure to turn some heads of the exotic fish collectors. Big shoutout to Indonesian aquarist Ihsan Aditya for bringing this fish to…
Milletseed Butterflyfish Captive Bred by Biota Aquariums
The millet seed butterflyfish, Chaetodon miliaris, is a common and very abundant reef fish of Hawaii that is now available captive bred from Biota Aquariums. The milletseed butterflyfish is very hardy but should be even better adapted to aquarium life…
Blueline Butterflyfish Hybrid Still Going Strong After Four Years
Unlike the celebrated and chromatically gifted angelfish, the world of butterflyfish is colored mostly in shades of white, yellow, black and occasionally a touch of red or orange. This is what makes the hawaiian endemic blue stripe butterflyfish, Chaetodon fremblii,…
Prognathodes obliquus Subject of Deep Ecology Study [Video]
The oblique butterflfyfish, Prognathodes obliquus is a striking species of marine fish with a very unique pattern and also a true micro-endemic. Like the Clipperton Angelfish we covered last week, the oblique butterflyfish is known only from one group of…
Semilarvatus Makes One of the Rarest Butterflyfish Hybrids
It’s been a long while since we’ve had a fun butterflyfish hybrid to share with you but what’s cool about this specimen is that it is an aquarium established fish. The parents of this outbred fish were Chaetodon lineolatus and C. semilarvatus,…
Prognathodes geminus is the Newest Species of Butterflyfish
Prognathodes geminus is the newest species of butterflyfish from a genus that haunts the abyssal depths of the oceans. Closely related to Prognathodes guezei and P. basabei, the new ‘Gemini’ butterflyfish is so named for its very close resemblance to other members…
Interesting Ecology Shift of Blacktail and Orangeface Butterflyfish
Saltwater fish are among some of the most colorful creatures we can keep as pets but as many species as we have access to, one notable group is a sort of ‘forbidden fruit’ when it comes to living in aquariums.…
Butterflyfish Pairs Must Work Together To Defend their Food
Pairing and monogamy is nearly always associated with sex and reproduction but it turns out that some species of butterflyfish have a different reason to pair up. Competition on tropical reefs is intense for virtually all resources, and there’s always…
