The members of the family Chaetodontidae, popularly know as butterflyfishes, coralfishes and bannerfishes. Most species of butterflyfish live in the warm tropical seas of the Indo-Pacific (about 90%) with the remainder in the Atlantic. Only a few species are found in subtropical waters, bordering onto subtemperate zones. The butterflyfish have a highly compressed body in which the back is raised , forming an elongate-oval to near circular shape in some; a small protactible mouth with brush-like teeth in the jaws; a continuous dorsal fin with strong and sharp spines in the anterior section, followed by a large-surface soft part; an anal fin mirroring the soft part of the dorsal fin , headed by 3-5 strong spines, of which the 2nd is often greatly enlarged.
Pearlscale Butterfly - Fiji
01320
Butterflies
Pearlscale Butterfly - Fiji
Chaetodon mertensii
Care:
IntermediateDiet:
OmnivorousLight:
MediumPlace of origin:
MelanesiaA magnific addition to any Fish only tank. The Pearlscale Butterfly - Fiji, Chaetodon mertensii has a bluish silver colour with black margins on the scales and the yellow/orange in the back. It is relatively peaceful and should be fed with frozen food like mysis, brineshrimp or red plankton.
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