All fish / Chaetodontidae

Copperband Butterflyfish

Chelmon rostratus

Also known as copperband butterfly, copper band butterflyfish, beaked butterflyfish, beaked coralfish, copperbanded butterflyfish, longnose copperband, copper banded butterfly, ปลาผีเสื้อจมูกยาว, ikan kepe-kepe, ハシナガチョウチョウウオ, kepe-kepe monyong, ikan monyong

A tall, flattened butterflyfish with a long tube-like snout, white body crossed by orange-copper bands edged in black, and a false eyespot near the tail. Keepers value it for its striking looks and its habit of picking off pest Aiptasia anemones.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a mated pair in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, chopped clam and mussel, brine shrimp, bloodworm, small live invertebrates

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Sea to Ryukyu Islands, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia

Breeding

It is a pelagic spawner that releases eggs into open water, with a long larval stage. Captive breeding is very rare and almost all fish are wild caught.

Good to know

Often a fussy eater that may starve if it will not accept frozen foods, so needs a mature tank with live rock. May nip tubeworms, clams and some soft or LPS corals, and fights with other butterflyfish.