Is a butterfly fish real?

There are at least 114 species of butterflyfish. They have thin, disk-shaped bodies that closely resemble their equally recognizable cousins, the angelfish. They spend their days tirelessly pecking at coral and rock formations with their long, thin snouts in search of coral polyps, worms, and other small invertebrates.

Where are butterfly fish found?

tropical reefs
butterflyfish, also called butterfly fish, any of the approximately 115 species of small quick-moving marine fishes in the family Chaetodontidae (order Perciformes). Butterflyfishes are found among tropical reefs around the world but are concentrated in the Indo-Pacific oceanic region.

Who eats butterflyfish?

The reef butterflyfish has its share of predators. Larger reef fish like moray eels, snappers, and groupers, commonly consume this species. If threatened, the butterfly generally tries to swim away and hide, but if for some reason it can’t flee it often takes up a defensive posture.

What zone does the butterfly fish live in?

Only four species occur in the Eastern Pacific and 13 in the Atlantic Ocean. Their preferred habitat is the shallow warm water less than 65 feet deep near shores or estuaries, but a few species reside in deep water habitats up to 650 feet.

How big is a butterfly fish?

Butterflyfish mostly range from 12 to 22 cm (4.7 to 8.7 in) in length. The largest species, the lined butterflyfish and the saddle butterflyfish, C. ephippium, grow to 30 cm (12 in).

What is special about butterfly fish?

1. The family Chaetodontidae — a combination of the ancient Greek words for “hair” and “tooth” — to which butterflyfishes belong, is named after their special comblike teeth. These fishes also have a protruding mouth, which helps them feed in crevices.

Why are they called butterflyfish?

Butterfly fish is named that way because of the attractive coloration of their body. They can be black, orange, yellow, red, silver and white in color, with different kind of spots and patterns on their body. Many species of the butterfly fish have black stripes across their eyes and eye-like spots on the body.

Can butterfly fish live together?

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.

What is the smallest butterfly fish?

Speckled butterflyfish
Genus:	Chaetodon
Subgenus:	Chaetodon (Exornator)
Species:	C. citrinellus
Binomial name

What do butterflies fish eat?

Unless otherwise noted in individual species profiles, most all Butterflyfishes can be fed a varied diet of vitamin-enriched marine fish, crustacean, and mollusk flesh, mysid shrimp, and any appropriate frozen preparations suitable for carnivores.

What do I feed my butterfly fish?

What do butterfly fish eat?