Lifestyle
Butterflyfish depend on living coral for shelter and food.
Many species feed directly on living coral polyps, and others on the tiny invertebrates around the corals, or on the tube feet or tentacles of larger invertebrates such as Sea Cucumbers, Starfish, Sea Anemones or Jellyfish.
Most are active during the day, and have a limited home-range of reef.
Many will actively defend their territory and drive away other coral feeding fishes such as other butterflyfish, damselfish and wrasse.
At night Butterflyfish hide in the reef crevices and spend the night motionless.
For more Butterflyfish information:
A Guide to Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes
Author: Gerald R Allen, Roger Steene, Mark Allen.
ISBN 0-9661720-1-9
Reef Fish Identification – Tropical Pacific
Author: Gerald Allen, Roger Steene, Paul Human
ISBN: 978-1878348364
Reef Fishes of the World
Authors: Lieske and Myers,
ISBN: 978-0691089959
Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific
Author: Terrence M. Gosliner, David W. Behrens
ISBN: 978-0930118211
Marine Life of Fiji and Tonga: A Video Identification Guide
Josh Jensen and Liz Harlin
A relational database with information to cater to different professionals such as research scientists, fisheries managers, and zoologists.
More Butterflyfish Info
| Butterflyfish Biology | Butterflyfish Lifestyle |
| Butterflyfish Feeding | Coral Biology |
| Butterflyfish Pairing | Coral Biology |