Reef butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reef butterflyfish |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodon
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| Species: |
sedentarius
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| Synonyms | |
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Chaetodon gracilis Günther, 1860 |
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The reef butterflyfish (Chaetodon sedentarius) is a colorful fish that lives in the ocean. It is also called the least butterflyfish, Atlantic butterflyfish, butterbun, or school mistress. This fish belongs to the butterflyfish family. You can find it in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Contents
What the Reef Butterflyfish Looks Like
The reef butterflyfish has a flat, oval body. It looks more like a rectangle than other butterflyfish in the western Atlantic. Its snout is short and pointy, and its mouth is at the very end.
The top of its body and head are yellow. This color fades to white towards its belly and lower head. It has a black stripe that goes through its eye. Another black stripe runs along the back edge of its body and fins. The rest of its fins are bright yellow.
Young reef butterflyfish have a less clear black stripe at the back. It might even look like two small spots instead of a stripe. This fish can grow up to 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long.
Where the Reef Butterflyfish Lives
The reef butterflyfish lives in the warm waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. You can find it from São Paulo in Brazil all the way north to North Carolina in the USA. It also lives in the Gulf of Mexico and near Bermuda. Sometimes, it appears near the Azores islands, but it does not stay there.
Habitat and Life of the Reef Butterflyfish
The reef butterflyfish lives on rocky and coral reefs. It can be found in waters up to 60 meters (about 200 feet) deep. Its flat body helps it swim quickly in and out of corals to find food.
What They Eat
This fish has a small mouth that can stick out. This helps it find food hidden inside corals. It has long, thin teeth that are a bit curved. It uses these teeth to scrape and nip at small creatures. Its diet includes tiny worms, shrimps, and other small ocean bugs. It also eats the eggs of other fish, like the sergeant major fish.
The reef butterflyfish is very agile when it eats. It often swims upside down to reach prey hiding in tight spots.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Adult reef butterflyfish are often seen in pairs. They might even stay with the same partner for a long time. They lay their eggs at dusk after a special courtship dance. They swim in circles, then swim upwards, releasing eggs and sperm.
Each female can release 3,000 to 4,000 eggs at one time. The eggs are tiny, clear, and float in the water. They hatch within 24 hours. Young fish larvae are very small, clear, and silvery.
Butterflyfish larvae have a unique armored stage called the "tholichthys stage." During this time, their heads and bodies are covered in bony plates. This armor protects them. When the larvae grow to about 20 millimeters (less than an inch), they settle onto the ocean floor at night. By the next day, they have become young fish. They hide in cracks and crevices until they are big enough to be safe from predators. Then, they come out into shallow water near channels or ledges.
How They Protect Themselves
Many larger fish hunt the reef butterflyfish. These predators include snappers, groupers, and moray eels. Usually, the butterflyfish swims away when attacked. But if it cannot escape, it will face its attacker. It lowers its head and raises the sharp spines on its back fin. This makes it look bigger and more dangerous.
About Its Name
The reef butterflyfish was first described in 1860 by a Cuban scientist named Felipe Poey. The name sedentarius means "sedentary" or "staying in one place." Scientists think this name might have been used to tell it apart from other similar fish.
Reef Butterflyfish and People
The reef butterflyfish is a popular fish for home aquariums. It is known to be easy to care for in captivity. This makes it a good choice even for people who are new to keeping fish.
See also
In Spanish: Pez mariposa de arrecife para niños
