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Marine fish

Copperband butterflyfish

Copperband butterflyfish

Appearance and lifestyle:

The copperband butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) is visually very similar to the South African butterflyfish. It can easily be distinguished by the prominent black eyespot on the upper-back part of its body and has one additional vertical copper stripe in comparison to the South African butterflyfish.

Habitat:

The fish is territorial and will pair up and protect its feeding area from other pairs of butterflyfish. It is common and lives on reefs throughout the Indian Ocean.

Diet:

Its elongated snout is used to feed on benthic invertebrates that take refuge in cracks and holes in the reef.

Threats:

The IUCN have classified this species as Least Concern.

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    Also known as a banded longsnout butterflyfish, beaked butterflyfish or beaked coralfish.
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    Common throughout the Indian Ocean – Australia, East Africa, India, etc.
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    Prefers shallow water no deeper than 25m.
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    Tolerates a wide range of water conditions and environments, not only reefs.
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    It is the butterflyfish species most commonly traded for home fish tanks.
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    Grows to 20cm long