Chaetodon octofasciatus

Chaetodon octofasciatus, commonly known as the Eightband butterflyfish, is a small butterflyfish. Their base colour is depending on the habitat they live in. Fish from clear reefs generally have more of a cream-white to yellowish base colour. Specimens from greenish water are usually bright yellow. All of them have yellow pectoral fins, but the other fins are more or less their body colour. They also have eight black vertical bands (hence: octofasciatus, meaning eight stripes) although misbarred and even aberrant specimens have been spotted in nature.

These fish are quite peaceful to most other fish, but might haress similar looking fish. As juveniles they live in groups inbetween Acropora corals. As adults they live in pairs in coral rich areas like lagoons and inshore reefs. In an aquarium they can best be kept alone unless a proven pair can be found. Although this is an absolutely stunning fish to watch, they're obligate corallivores and thus need to eat corals to survive. In the wild they feed mainly on Acropora polyps, but other corals might be eaten as well. This makes them not suitable for a fish-only tank and they can only be kept in a large tank with a lot of fast growing Acropora where considerable damage to the corals is accepted. Feeding them a varied diet of live and frozen meaty foods can help to minimize the damage to the corals if alternative food is accepted. A real specialist fish!