Red Sea bannerfish facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Sea bannerfish
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Chaetodontidae
Genus:	Heniochus
Species:	H. intermedius
Binomial name
Heniochus intermedius Steindachner, 1893
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The Red Sea bannerfish (scientific name: Heniochus intermedius) is a colorful fish that lives in the ocean. It's a type of butterflyfish, which are known for their bright patterns. You can find this fish mainly in the western Indian Ocean. Sometimes, it has been seen in new places like off the coast of Florida. It has also traveled through the Suez Canal into the eastern Mediterranean Sea near Turkey.

What Does the Red Sea Bannerfish Look Like?

The Red Sea bannerfish has a body that is quite flat from side to side. Its color is a light yellow that turns white near its head. It has two wide, slanted black stripes on its body. These stripes are darker at the bottom and fade out towards the back.

The first stripe starts near its top fin, close to its eye, and goes down to its belly fins. The second stripe begins on the spiny part of its top fin and goes down to the back part of its bottom fin.

Its side fins, the soft parts of its top and bottom fins, and its tail fin are all yellow. However, its belly fins are black. This fish has a very long, white, ribbon-like part that sticks out from the front of its top fin. This part waves around as the fish swims, looking like a banner blowing in the wind!

The top fin has 11 strong spines and 25 or 26 soft rays. The bottom fin has 3 spines and 17 or 18 soft rays. This fish can grow up to about 18 centimeters (about 7 inches) long.

Where Does the Red Sea Bannerfish Live?

The Red Sea bannerfish naturally lives in the western Indian Ocean. This includes the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

It has also been found in new places. For example, some have been seen in the waters off southeastern Florida. These fish likely got there from aquariums, either by escaping or being released. Recently, a few have also been spotted in the Gulf of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. They probably arrived there by swimming through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. However, they are still very rare in that area.

Habitat and Life of the Red Sea Bannerfish

The Red Sea bannerfish loves to live around coral reefs. You will most often see them swimming alone or in pairs. But sometimes, especially the younger fish, they gather in large groups or "schools." These big schools are often found in deeper parts of the reef where there isn't as much coral.

These fish eat tiny animals called zooplankton that float in the water. They also eat small creatures that live on the ocean floor. Scientists are still studying how much they eat live coral.

When it's time to have babies, the Red Sea bannerfish lays eggs. They usually form pairs and stay together to lay their eggs. This is called being monogamous.

How People Use the Red Sea Bannerfish

People sometimes collect the Red Sea bannerfish to keep in home aquariums. However, this is done on a small scale. Scientists believe that collecting these fish for aquariums does not threaten their overall population in the wild.

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