Blue-blotched Butterflyfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Tropical Indo-Pacific, distributed from Indonesia and Australia to Fiji. Inhabits shallow lagoons and seaward reefs rich in Acropora table corals.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Chaetodontidae. Features a deep, laterally compressed body shape with a pointed snout adapted for picking at coral polyps.

Social Behavior: Shy and highly specialized species. Usually found in monogamous pairs or singly. Spends the day grazing on coral polyps in clear, oxygenated waters.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Bright lemon-yellow overall body color. Marked by a large, distinct elongated blue patch on the upper flank, and a black band running through the eye.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a large, well-established reef-style aquarium of at least 300 liters containing extensive branching or table Acropora coral colonies.

Diet and Feeding: Obligate corallivore, feeding exclusively on Acropora polyps. Almost impossible to keep in home aquariums unless fed live corals or successfully trained.

Water Quality: Demands pristine marine conditions: temperature 22-27 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025 with zero organic waste, strong skimming, and high water flow.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Highly peaceful. Not reef safe. Best housed in large fish-only systems with robust, non-competing tankmates.

Aquarium Breeding: Reproduction in home aquariums is undocumented. Spawns pelagic eggs, and larvae spend weeks drifting in open ocean currents before settling.

Risks and Diseases: Very high risk of starvation in captivity. Recommended only for public aquaria or expert hobbyists capable of providing live corals for food.