All fish / Chaetodontidae

Bluecheek Butterflyfish

Chaetodon semilarvatus

Also known as golden butterflyfish, masked butterflyfish, addis butterflyfish, blue cheek butterflyfish, bluecheek butterfly, red sea golden butterflyfish, semilarvatus butterflyfish, ブルーフェイス・バタフライフィッシュ, ゴールデン・バタフライフィッシュ, 黄金蝴蝶鱼, 蓝颊蝴蝶鱼

A bright golden yellow butterflyfish with fine orange vertical lines and a blue-grey patch behind each eye. It is one of the hardier and more readily feeding members of its family, and its calm nature and striking colour make it a popular showpiece in large fish-only systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood, marine algae and quality flakes or pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Breeding

It scatters pelagic eggs in open water, and the larvae pass through a long planktonic stage. It has not been bred in home aquariums in any regular way, so almost all specimens are wild caught.

Good to know

It is not reef safe, as it will nip corals, anemones and other sessile invertebrates. It needs a large tank with plenty of swimming room, and imports from the Red Sea are often expensive.