Eightband butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eightband butterflyfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodon
|
| Species: |
octofasciatus
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Eight-banded Butterflyfish is a beautiful fish often called the eightband butterflyfish or eight-striped butterflyfish. Its scientific name is Chaetodon octofasciatus. This colorful fish lives in the ocean and is part of the butterflyfish family. You can find it in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region, usually near coral reefs.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Eight-banded Butterflyfish has a flat, round body. Its snout is a bit pointy. The main color of its body is white, but it turns yellowish towards its belly.
Its Stripes and Fins
It has seven black stripes across its head and sides.
- One stripe runs right down its snout.
- Another clear black stripe outlines its dorsal fin (top fin) and anal fin (bottom fin).
- A third stripe reaches its pelvic fins (fins on its belly).
All of its fins are bright yellow.
Special Markings
You might also see a black spot with a white ring on its caudal peduncle. This is the narrow part of the body before the tail fin. Some fish have extra black or brownish lines that connect the stripes on their back. The fish's color can also change based on where it lives. Fish in clear coral reefs might be paler, while those near river mouths, where the water is greener, might be more yellow.
Size and Fin Details
This butterflyfish is quite small. It usually grows to about 12 centimeters (about 4.7 inches) long.
- Its dorsal fin has 10 to 12 strong spines and 17 to 19 soft rays.
- Its anal fin has 3 to 4 spines and 14 to 17 soft rays.
Where Does It Live?
The Eight-banded Butterflyfish lives in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. You can find it from places like the Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka, all the way east to the Solomon Islands. It also lives north to southern Japan and south to the Scott Reef in Western Australia.
Habitat and What They Eat
You can find these fish living in coral reefs. They usually stay at depths between 3 and 20 meters (about 10 to 65 feet).
Life on the Reef
Adult Eight-banded Butterflyfish often swim in pairs. They like areas of the reef that are rich in corals and are sheltered, like inshore reefs or lagoons. Younger fish, called juveniles, sometimes gather in groups among Acropora corals.
What's for Dinner?
This species has a very specific diet. It eats only coral polyps. Coral polyps are the tiny, soft-bodied animals that make up coral reefs.
Family Tree
The Eight-banded Butterflyfish was first officially described in 1787 by a German scientist named Marcus Elieser Bloch. It is closely related to the Golden Butterflyfish (C. aureofasciatus) and also to Rainford's Butterflyfish (C. rainfordi). These fish, along with the three-striped Butterflyfish (C. tricinctus), belong to a group called Discochaetodon. The Eight-banded Butterflyfish is the main example for this group.
Keeping Them as Pets
Sometimes, the Eight-banded Butterflyfish is sold for aquariums. However, it is very hard to keep them healthy in a home aquarium. This is because they only eat coral polyps. It's very difficult to give them enough of their natural food, so they often don't survive.
