Copperband butterflyfish
Encyclopedia
The Copperband Butterflyfish, Chelmon rostratus, also commonly called the Beak Coralfish is found in reef
s in both the Pacific and Indian Ocean
s. This butterflyfish
is one of the three species in the genus
Chelmon
, all being known for having longer beaks.
s or rocky shorelines, and also in estuaries and silty inner reefs. This species is territorial
and oviparous.
by their color pattern and number of dorsal fin rays.
s, including parasitic forms such as Calliactis parasitica
and common glass anemone (aiptasia) (Parasitic anemone
).The Aipitasia is the last choice of food though; all tube and substrate worms,clams,mollusks are its prey. This is not a recommended fish for inexperienced aquarists, as it requires excellent tank conditions to thrive or even survive.
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s in both the Pacific and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
s. This butterflyfish
Butterflyfish
The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are approximately 120 species in 10 genera...
is one of the three species in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Chelmon
Chelmon
Chelmon is a genus of tropical fish in the family Chaetodontidae.- Species :* Margined coralfish, Chelmon marginalis Richardson, 1842* Blackfin coralfish, Chelmon muelleri...
, all being known for having longer beaks.
Description
These fish are easily identified by the yellow banding and long snout, juveniles being similar to adults. They grow up to 20 cm in lengthHabit and habitat
Found at depths of 1-25 metres either singly or in pairs, forming monogamous pairs during breeding. They are usually found on coral reefCoral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s or rocky shorelines, and also in estuaries and silty inner reefs. This species is territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
and oviparous.
Points of note
They may be distinguished from the similar Chelmon marginalisChelmon marginalis
Chelmon marginalis, commonly known as Margined Coralfish, is a species of tropical fish in the family Chaetodontidae. It was first described by John Richardson in 1842....
by their color pattern and number of dorsal fin rays.
In the aquarium
Copperband butterflyfish can grow to 8 inches (20 cm) but in a home aquarium are usually found at half that size. They do well at a normal reef temperature range of 75 to 84 °F (24 to 29 °C), with a tank size of at least 75 gallons with lots of live rock to graze on. This species can be considered reef safe. It will eat many invertebrateInvertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, including parasitic forms such as Calliactis parasitica
Calliactis parasitica
Calliactis parasitica is a species of sea anemone associated with hermit crabs. It lives in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea at depths between the intertidal zone and . It is up to in size, with up to 700 tentacles, and is very variable in colour. The relationship between C...
and common glass anemone (aiptasia) (Parasitic anemone
Anemone
Anemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
).The Aipitasia is the last choice of food though; all tube and substrate worms,clams,mollusks are its prey. This is not a recommended fish for inexperienced aquarists, as it requires excellent tank conditions to thrive or even survive.