All fish / Chaetodontidae

Tinker's butterflyfish

Chaetodon tinkeri

Also known as tinker's butterfly, tinkers butterflyfish, hawaiian black and white butterflyfish, tinker butterfly, シラナミチョウチョウウオ, 丁氏蝴蝶鱼, 天皇蝶

This is a deep-water butterflyfish. The front half of the body is white with rows of black spots, and the back half is a solid black triangle edged in yellow. Its striking looks and its rarity make it a prized fish for advanced marine aquarists.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

14 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis, krill, chopped seafood, quality flakes and pellets, and some algae-based foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Hawaiian Islands, Johnston Atoll and the Marshall, Cook and Society Islands, mostly on deep reefs

Breeding

It spawns in open water, and the larvae drift in the plankton for a long time. It has not been bred in home aquariums, so all fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

Tinker's butterflyfish is expensive, so check that it is feeding well before you buy. It may pick at some soft corals and invertebrates, so keep it in a fish-only or carefully chosen reef tank. It hybridises with Chaetodon burgessi and Chaetodon flavocoronatus, which look similar.