Butterflyfish Care

There are at least 114 recorded species of saltwater butterflyfish, however, under half are them are suitable for home aquariums.

Some species are commonly kept and can adapt to life in an aquarium, and others are near impossible to keep in captivity.

Due to the complexity, time, and effort required to keep butterflyfish, we recommend that only expert aquarists keep them.

~How do you identify a butterflyfish?~

You identify a butterflyfish by its boldly colored and sail or disk-shaped body. Butterflyfish are quite distinct in their appearance. They are between 4 and 9 inches (12-22 cm) in length and have round tails, long fins, long snouts, comb-like teeth. Butterflyfish are most commonly yellow, black, white, silver, red, or orange.

These colors may become more vibrant or fade, depending on the time of day and how they are feeling.

Additionally, butterflyfish are can be identified by their unique patterns and the false eyes that protect them from predators.

~What do you feed a copperband butterflyfish?~

You feed a copperband butterflyfish fish flakes, meaty foods, shrimp, and blood worms. Copperband butterflyfish are omnivores and require a varied, balanced diet in order to survive.

Be sure to feed your copperband three to four times every day, and mix up the foods you provide.

~Can African butterflyfish live together?~

Yes, African butterflyfish can live together. African butterflyfish live better and more healthily when they are with others of their own species. This is especially true if they also have enough swimming space and a varied diet.

Additionally, African butterflyfish can also do well with other small fish that tend to stay in the lower parts of the tank.

However, care should be taken when considering keeping another species of butterflyfish along with your African butterfly, as they may become aggressive around certain species.

~Can you keep different types of butterflyfish together?~

Yes, you can keep different types of butterflyfish together. While there are many types of butterflyfish that can live well together when placed in the same tank, certain species are more aggressive than others. This aggression may be exacerbated when kept with other fish of the same species. Care must be taken when deciding which butterflyfish will be kept in the same tank.

Copperband butterflyfish, for example, do better when they are the only butterflyfish in the tank.

~Do butterflyfish have teeth?~

Yes, butterflyfish have teeth. They have small, close-set, and comb-like sets of teeth. Butterflyfish have evolved with these teeth in order to eat coral, shrimp, plankton, and crustaceans.

Despite their teeth, most species of butterflyfish are not aggressive and will work nicely as tank mates for other fish.

~Do butterflyfish lay eggs?~

Yes, butterflyfish lay eggs. When the female butterflyfish release their eggs, the males release their sperm. They do this on the surface of the water, where the eggs will either hatch or become food for plankton-eating fish.

Butterflyfish eggs are not easily seen by the human eye because the eggs are so small. In the wild, the eggs are typically laid on top of a reef to try to keep them away from predators.

Butterflyfish eggs typically hatch between 28 and 30 hours after they are released and fertilized.

~What body shape does a butterflyfish have?~

A butterflyfish has a disk-shaped body shape. Butterflyfish have similar shapes to angelfish, with long noses, long dorsal fins, and round tails.

Additionally, butterflyfish are commonly colorful and have striking color patterns. They are usually between 4 and 9 inches (12–22cm) in length.