All fish / Chaetodontidae

Somali Butterflyfish

Chaetodon leucopleura

Also known as somali butterfly, somali butterflyfish, whitesided butterflyfish, white-sided butterflyfish, ソマリバタフライフィッシュ, 索马里蝴蝶鱼

A pale, deep-bodied butterflyfish with rows of small dark spots on the flanks, a yellow rear body and fins, and a dark bar through the eye. It is prized as an uncommon Indian Ocean species and often lives in deeper water than most butterflyfish, so imports are rare and costly.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis and brine shrimp, chopped seafood, marine algae and quality frozen mixes

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Somalia to Mozambique, Seychelles and Madagascar

Breeding

It spawns in open water, releasing eggs that drift with the plankton before a long larval stage. It has not been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Not reef safe, as it may pick at corals, polyps and tubeworms. Wild-caught fish can be slow to accept prepared foods, so buy specimens already seen eating.