Reticulated Butterflyfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Tropical Pacific Ocean, from the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to Hawaii, the Marquesas, and Pitcairn. Found on clean outer reefs with dense hard coral growth.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Chaetodontidae. Features a deep, laterally compressed body, notably darker than most other butterflyfishes.

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: Almost completely black body. Each scale has a pale white or grey center, producing a fine reticulated pattern. The head has a black band and fins are yellow-edged.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a large, well-established reef-style aquarium of at least 300 liters with plenty of high-quality live rock and open swimming areas.

Diet and Feeding: Obligate corallivore. Extremely difficult to feed in captivity as it feeds almost exclusively on live coral polyps. Must be provided with live coral or specialized foods.

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

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Highly peaceful. Not reef safe as it consumes hard corals. Best housed in large fish-only systems with non-aggressive, quiet tankmates.

Aquarium Breeding: Reproduction in home aquariums is undocumented. Spawns pelagic eggs, and the 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.