Ornate butterflyfish

The ornate butterflyfish, also called the clown butterflyfish, is a bright reef fish of the Indo-Pacific. Adult pairs almost always stay together, holding a shared area on the reef.

Also known as: ornate butterfly, ornate butterflyfish, ornate coralfish, ornate butterfly, ornate butterflyfish, butterflyfish, ornate coralfish

Two close relatives look similar in shape: the mailed butterflyfish and the scrawled butterflyfish. Both have messy, scribbled markings. This fish instead has a clean, even pattern, which is the easiest way to tell it apart.

Its body is white with slanted orange to orange-brown bands. Two black bars with yellow edges cross its head, one over the eyes and one over the snout. Its tail has two more black bars. It grows up to 20 cm long.

This fish lives across the tropical Indo-Pacific, on reefs near shore with lots of coral. It is found from clear lagoons to reef slopes facing the open sea, at depths of about 1 to 36 m.

Adult pairs share a home area and defend it together. They are almost always seen with a partner. Young fish live alone instead. They are shy and hide among branching corals until they are old enough to breed and find a mate.

This fish eats almost only live coral polyps. It picks at ten different kinds of coral, more than most other coral-eating butterflyfish. It hovers still over the coral, then darts in fast to feed. It uses its side fins to brake and turn quickly.

Pairs stay together, and many mate for life. They spawn at dusk, releasing eggs into the open water to be fertilised. In tropical areas this happens most in winter and early spring.

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  Banded Butterflyfish

  Chaetodon striatus

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  Blackback butterflyfish

  Chaetodon melannotus

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  Butterflyfish

  butterfly_fish

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  Chevron butterflyfish

  Chaetodon trifascialis

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  Copperband butterflyfish

  Chelmon rostratus

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  Four-eyed Butterflyfish

  Chaetodon capistratus