Gardiner's Butterflyfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Northwestern Indian Ocean, ranging from Somalia and Yemen to Sri Lanka. Found on deep rocky and coral reef slopes down to 65 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Chaetodontidae. Features a deep, circular, and highly compressed body. The specific name refers to the naturalist Gardiner.

Social Behavior: Peaceful, active, and curious species. Found singly or in mated pairs. Shows bold behavior in aquariums and is a popular control agent for marine pests.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Silvery-white body with thin dark diagonal lines forming a chevron pattern. Marked by a large, dark saddle patch on the upper rear body, and yellow tail.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a mature marine aquarium of at least 300 liters with plenty of live rock to provide hiding spots and natural grazing surfaces.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous. Feeds on small benthic invertebrates and algae. Accepts high-quality flakes, pellets, frozen brine shrimp, mysis, and marine algae.

Water Quality: Standard marine parameters: temperature 22-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, and salinity 1.020-1.025 with efficient filtration and moderate water movement.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Highly peaceful. Not reef safe as it nips at stony corals. Best kept with quiet, non-aggressive species in a fish-only setup.

Aquarium Breeding: Spawning in home aquariums is undocumented. Pelagic spawner. Eggs and larvae drift in the ocean column before settling onto reefs.

Risks and Diseases: Once acclimated, it is relatively hardy. Susceptible to marine ich (Cryptocaryon) and stress. Ensure the aquarium is fully cycled.