All fish / Chaetodontidae

Latticed Butterflyfish

Chaetodon rafflesii

Also known as raffles butterflyfish, latticed butterfly, raffle's butterflyfish, rafflesi butterflyfish, rafflesii butterfly, アミメチョウチョウウオ, kepe-kepe, 雷氏蝴蝶鱼, 网纹蝴蝶鱼

This butterflyfish has a bright yellow body covered in a fine dark lattice of scale outlines, a black band through the eye and a dark spot on the soft dorsal fin. Keepers like it because it is one of the hardier butterflyfish and usually takes prepared foods well.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

13 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis, chopped seafood, quality marine flakes and pellets, and some algae-based food

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Sri Lanka and Indonesia to the Philippines, Japan, Great Barrier Reef and French Polynesia

Breeding

It spawns in pairs, releasing eggs into open water that hatch into drifting larvae. It has not been bred in home aquariums in any regular way.

Good to know

It will pick at soft corals, polyps and anemones, so it is not reef safe. Keep it away from other butterflyfish unless the tank is very large, as it can quarrel with its own kind.