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Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) — Chaetodontidae

Butterflyfish

Chaetodon wiebeli
LC · Least Concern

The Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 19 cm.

Length
19 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
4.0–25.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Northwest Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The Hong Kong butterflyfish is a butterflyfish from the northwest Pacific, off China, Taiwan and Japan. The species grows to about 19 cm and has a yellow body with fine oblique lines, a black head cap with a white band and a yellow tail with a dark band. As a reef-dweller it searches over rocky and coral reefs for small invertebrates, polyps and algae. The fish is harmless to humans and appears in the reef aquarium. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Butterflyfish?

The Butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Black head cap with a white band; reef butterflyfish

Where does the Butterflyfish live?

The Butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Northwest Pacific

How big does the Butterflyfish get?

The Butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 19 cm.

Is the Butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Butterflyfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Butterflyfish edible?

The Butterflyfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) — Chaetodontidae — 2
JIN Pin-Tsen (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) — Chaetodontidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) misakinokukuru, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) — Chaetodontidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Amada44 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli) — Chaetodontidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Amada44 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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All data

Identification

English name
Butterflyfish verified
Scientific name
Chaetodon wiebeli
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Hong Kong Butterflyfish; Hongkong butterflyfish; Panda butterflyfish; Wiebel's butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
19.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
4.0 verified
Max depth (m)
25.0 verified
Natural range
Northwest Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small invertebrates, polyps and algae inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Reef-dwelling butterflyfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Black head cap with a white band; reef butterflyfish sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chaetodon

More from the family Chaetodontidae

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