All fish / Chaetodontidae

Raccoon Butterflyfish

Chaetodon lunula

Also known as raccoon butterfly fish, racoon butterflyfish, lunule butterflyfish, halfmoon butterflyfish, red striped butterflyfish, raccoon butterfly, チョウチョウウオ, kepe-kepe, 新月蝴蝶鱼, 浣熊蝴蝶

This butterflyfish has a yellow body with a black eye mask and a white band behind it, which looks rather like a raccoon's face. Its red-brown diagonal stripes and black spot near the tail make it easy to recognise. It is one of the hardier butterflyfish and usually takes prepared foods well, so many marine keepers choose it for fish-only tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

18 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °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, quality flakes and pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

7 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific, from East Africa and the Red Sea region to Hawaii and the central Pacific

Breeding

It scatters eggs that float in open water, and the larvae go through a long planktonic stage. It has very rarely been bred in home aquariums, so nearly all fish sold are caught in the wild.

Good to know

It picks at corals, anemones, tubeworms and other invertebrates, including Aiptasia, so it does not suit a reef tank. It can be aggressive towards other butterflyfish unless the tank is very large.