Description

Also known as Coralfish, Lineated Butterflyfish Melon Butterflyfish, Oval Butterflyfish, Pacific Pin-striped Butterflyfish, Pinstripe Butterflyfish, Pin-striped Butterflyfish, Rainbow Butterflyfish, Red-striped Butterflyfish, Striped Butterflyfish.

Found in pairs, over lagoons and semi-protected seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.
They feed solely on live corals.
Juveniles found hiding in the branches of small corals over lagoons.
Length - 14cm
Depth - 2-30m
Widespread Pacific Ocean

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/14300