Description

Also known as Coralfish, Spot-tail Coralfish, Spot-tailed Butterflyfish, Tailspot Butterflyfish.

Found singly or in pairs, over reef channels and outer slopes of lagoons, reef flats, and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.
They feed on soft coral polyps from Litophyton viridias, Sarcophyton, Nephthia, and Clavularia.
Juveniles found inshore.
Length - 14cm
Depth - 3-50m
Widespread Western Central 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. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5569