Multicoloured beauties

The butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) is a tropical marine fish that is mainly found on the reefs of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. There are approximately 120 species of the Chaetodontidae which also includes coralfish and bannerfish.

Butterflyfish grow up to a length of 12 to 22 cm. The lined butterflyfish and saddle butterflyfish can grow up to 30 cm long. Their deep, laterally compressed bodies are easily noticed through on the reefs. Butterflyfish have uninterrupted dorsal fins with tail fins that may be rounded or truncated. Generally butterflyfish are to be found on depths up to 18 meters, but some species can descend up to 180 meters deep.

Butterflyfish are very territorial and like to stick to their own head of coral. By night butterflyfish hide amongst the crevices of the reef and have a different coloration than they do during the day.

The most species of butterflyfish in Australia are to be found in waters from the northern part of New South Wales, the Queensland coast, Northern Territory and halfway across the Western Australian coast. Some of them are only found in the northern part of Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef.