Description

Also known as Coralfish, Double-barred Butterflyfish, Doublesaddle Butterflyfish, Doublesaddle Pacific Butterflyfish, False Doublesaddle Butterfly, False Doublesaddle Butterflyfish, False Purcula Butterflyfish, Pacific Doublesaddle Butterfly, Pacific Doublesaddle Coralfish, Pacific Double-saddled Butterflyfish, Saddled Butterflyfish, Sickle Butterflyfish.

Found singly, pairs, or in small schools, in channels with strong currents, over lagoons and sometimes seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.
They feed on algae and invertebrates.
Juveniles found in harbours and estuaries.
Length - 15cm
Depth - 1-30m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

Butterflyfishes have very fine hair like teeth that enable them to pick out small organisms inaccessible to most other fish for eating.
They thrive mainly on a diet of coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms. As these food sources all zap back into their shells, 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) Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-ulietensis