Description
Also known as Coralfish, Crisscross Butterflyfish, Vagabond Butterfly, Vagabond Coralfish, Vagabond's Butterflyfish.
Found in pairs, in both fresh and murky waters, over reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.
They feed on algae, coral polyps, crustaceans, and Christmas-tree-worms.
Length - 23cm
Depth - 5-30m
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/5582
1 comment
Posted by @dreimersAlso common in pairs, in the shallow lagoons surrounding Moorea.