Butterflyfish (scientific name: Chaetodon) are a family of marine fish that live in tropical to warm temperate waters. Some are found in brackish estuaries or closed bays, usually along the steep slopes of rocky reefs, most commonly near coral reefs in shallow water (less than 20 meters), and some in deep water below 200 meters. They are found around seagrass habitats, deep mudflats or shallow lagoons. Many butterflyfish juveniles live in different areas than adults, such as tidal lakes, boulder reefs, and shallow waters without coral.
living habits
Most butterflyfish live in shallow waters within 20 meters. They are typical diurnal fish. They come out to find food and mate during the day, and hide in reef caves to rest at night. When foraging, they swim in groups, in pairs, or alone. The diet varies greatly. Some peck small invertebrates and algae hiding in the crevices from the reef surface, some pick up zooplankton in the water layer, and some only eat live coral polyps and so on. It moves quickly and hides in coral reefs or rock crevices when it is slightly alarmed. They need to go through a long drifting period in their life history, which makes artificial reproduction difficult to succeed.
Feeding knowledge
Butterflyfish like to live in reef areas. Since butterflyfish belong to marine fish, we must pay attention to the water quality when raising butterflyfish. How to prepare water quality similar to seawater is the most critical issue in raising seawater fish.
When all the equipment in the seawater tank is installed, the natural seawater or artificially prepared seawater that has been sealed in advance will be filled with non-metallic containers and slowly injected into the aquarium. Put a plastic plate or dish on the bottom sand of the aquarium when pouring water to relieve the impact of water flow and avoid damaging the sand that has been laid. When the water is halfway through, you need to test the function of the air pump. After filling the water, check whether the filter is operating normally, and see if there is water leakage at the end of the suction pipe of the bottom filter. Finally, stick a liquid crystal thermometer on the wall of the box, and turn on all the equipment to make the water temperature rise to 24 °C, and use a hydrometer to test the specific gravity of seawater. If the specific gravity is too low, continue to add artificial sea salt. If the specific gravity is too high, extract a part of seawater and add the fresh water treated by exposure. After the water circulates for a period of time, continue to measure and adjust until the specific gravity reaches the standard of 1.022.
Butterflyfish like to live in the clear coral reef waters from 1 to 60 meters. They are mild-mannered and have a certain “home” range. They hover on coral clusters or reef platforms during the day.
