How many species of butterflyfish are there?

There are at least 114 species of butterflyfish.

Is butterfly fish saltwater?

Known for their bright colors and distinct shape, butterflyfish are some of the most beautiful saltwater fish you’ll ever come across. These fish tend to inhabit tropical regions, though they can also be found in cooler waters in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.

Is butterfly fish poisonous?

The flesh of the reef butterflyfish is not toxic, but they are generally not harvested for food. They are, however, taken for the aquarium trade. Their diet may make them somewhat of a problem to maintain, though the juveniles seem to thrive better in captivity than the adults.

Is Angelfish a butterfly fish?

There are two readily identifiable differences. First, Angelfish always have at least one prominent spine on the posterior edge of the gill cover, while Butterflys have spiny dorsal fins. Second, Angels have a blunt shaped head while Butterflyfish have a beak-like snout.

Can butterfly fish live with clownfish?

The more territorial fish are usually fine in pairs or small groups of the same species, but mixing them with other Butterflyfish should generally be avoided. Ideal tank-makes for Butterflyfish include Clownfish, Damsels, Gobies, Hogfish, Parrotfish, and Tangs.

Can butterfly fish survive in freshwater?

The African butterfly fish is also known as Freshwater butterflyfish, African butterflyfish or Pantodon buchholzi. This species is a fascinating freshwater fish from West Africa. Scientists refer to the Freshwater butterflyfish, which has survived unchanged for 100 million years, as an actual living fossil.

Do butterfly fish eat coral?

butterflyfishes often prey on soft corals and gorgonians and as such are a significant threat to place in a reef aquarium. Many aquarists have reported success with keeping these fish with small polyp stony corals such as Acropora and Montipora, but large polyp stony corals may be picked on.

How much is a butterfly fish?

A butterflyfish typically costs between $20 and $60. While this price range is typical for many butterflyfish, they can vary in cost. Butterflyfish are priced according to their species and cost anywhere up to $4,000, depending on their unique characteristics and rarity.

Do butterfly fish eat algae?

Although you may see other Butterflyfishes nibbling on these foods, they are not primary to their diets. Algae is something they incidentally ingest while intentionally eating crustaceans and other generalized invertebrates that reside or hide in it.

What butterfly fish are reef safe?

There is only one fish in this genus, the Schooling Bannerfish (H. diphreutes), that is considered relatively safe to include in a coral reef aquarium.

Are butterfly fish easy to keep?

These long-nosed butterflies are relatively easy to keep, and take frozen foods such as brine and mysis shrimp very readily. They are however, not safe with small benthic creatures such as tube worms, feather worms and most other worms. Having kept these species numerous times, i’d say throw them in your reefs any day.

What do butterfly fish eat?

Suitable Aquarium Foods

Unless otherwise noted in individual species profiles, most all Butterflyfishes can be fed a varied diet of vitamin-enriched marine fish, crustacean, and mollusk flesh, mysid shrimp, and any appropriate frozen preparations suitable for carnivores.

What size tank does a butterfly fish need?

Butterfly Fish Aquarium Size

Most butterfly fish will grow around 8 inches or more in length. This means that an aquarium should be 100 gallons or larger when keeping them in a community tank. Smaller species can be kept in aquariums of up to 75 gallons in size. Just keep in mind that these fish are extremely active.

Can you keep butterfly fish together?

It’s not likely that this fish will spawn in captivity, but in the wild, they do form monogamous pairs, when breeding. Like most fish in the saltwater aquarium hobby, there are reports of aggression between two copperband butterflyfish fish, so it is strongly recommended that you just keep one per aquarium.