Yellowback Butterflyfish

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Description

Also known as Coralfishes, Merten's Butterflyfish, Merten's Butterfly, Yellowback Butterfly, Atoll Butterflyfish and Chevron Butterflyfish.

Found singly or in pairs in lagoons and outer slopes with large coral formations.
They feed on coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms.
Length - 12.5cm
Depth - 10-120m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

Replaced by Chaetodon paucifasciatus in Red Sea and Chaetodon madagascariensis in the Indian Ocean.

Butterflyfish and angelfish are members of the bristletooth family (Chaetodontidae) they have very fine hairlike teeth that enable them to pick out small organisms inaccessible to most other fish for eating.
Butterflyfishes thrive on a diet of coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms. As these food sources all zap back into their shells the butterflyfishes need to be able to hover motionless while picking at the coral and to dart swiftly over short distances to get the worm before it retracts. They do this by using their Pectoral fins as oars to brake, sprint, turn and even reverse. (edit)

Fishy Stats

Length: 12.5cm
Depth: 10-120m
Found: Indo-Pacific
Eats: Coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms.
Family: Butterflyfishes
Species: Chaetodontidae

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