Description

Also known as Coralfish, Double-saddle Butterfly, Falcula Butterfly, Falcula Butterflyfish, Indian Double-saddle Butterflyfish, Pigface Coralfish, Saddleback Butterfly, Saddleback Butterflyfish, Saddled Butterflyfish, Sickle Butterflyfish.

Found in pairs or small schools, over current swept reef edges, and upper slopes of reefs.
They feed on invertebrates.
Juveniles singly and secretive, hiding in corals.
Length - 18cm
Depth - 1-20m
Widespread Indian 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. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/8014