Hawaiian Butterflyfish

Today's animal goes by two different names, depending on who you ask. Either it is the Hawaiian Butterflyfish (named for its location), or it is Tinker's Butterflyfish (named for the man who discovered it). So choose which one you like!

Speaking of likeable things, these colorful fish are very sought after in captive aquariums. They are said to be hardy and adapt well to new environments, but they usually sell for extremely high prices. As with all captive fish, they should only be purchased from responsible providers!

In the wild, Hawaiian Butterfly fish like to live near steep slopes and the coral reefs that are found on them. They can be found as far down as 450ft. And though 'Hawaii' is in their name, they are also found in the nearby Marshall Islands as well. The Butteflyfish feed on a variety of of different planktons, and when it comes to breeding they will actually pair off, and can be seen swimming together.

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 6in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Chaetodontidae -- Genus : Chaetodon -- Species : C. tinkeri

Image : Klaus Stiefel

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