All fish / Chaetodontidae

Threadfin Butterflyfish

Chaetodon auriga

Also known as auriga butterflyfish, threadfin butterfly, cross-hatch butterflyfish, red sea threadfin butterflyfish, auriga butterfly, トゲチョウチョウウオ, kepe-kepe, 丝蝴蝶鱼, 人字蝶

A white butterflyfish with diagonal chevron lines, a yellow rear body, a black bar through the eye and, in adults, a trailing thread from the back of the dorsal fin. It is one of the hardiest butterflyfish and usually feeds well, which makes it a common first choice for fish-only marine tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

450 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis, chopped seafood, marine algae, sponge-based and quality flake or pellet foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, from East Africa to Hawaii and the Ducie Islands

Breeding

It spawns in pairs, releasing pelagic eggs whose larvae go through a long planktonic tholichthys stage. Captive breeding is very rare, so nearly all specimens are wild caught.

Good to know

Not reef safe, as it picks at corals, anemones, tubeworms and other invertebrates. The trade name 'No' is not a recognised common name; check the scientific name, and avoid mixing it with other butterflyfish in small tanks.