Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Chaetodon

Chaetodon leucopleura

Playfair, 1867

Somali Butterflyfish

Not Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indian Ocean: Red Sea, along Yemen and Oman, and the Horn of Africa.

Size: 7 inches (17 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits reef faces and fore-reef slopes rich in stony coral growth at depths between 25 – 250 feet (7 – 75 m) and feeds on coral polyps/sessile invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Quite nice looking, yet rarely collected. Has a whitish-greyish body, black eye band, and yellow dorsal, anal, and tail fins.

There is very little aquarium husbandry information available for this species, however, it should no doubt receive similar treatment as others in this genus, e.g., be housed in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, and live rock hiding places. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) is a good beginning. Once feeding regularly, various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, can be offered several times daily.

Nevertheless, past history shows this is a difficult species to get feeding in captivity, therefore recommend small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium, which may help entice it to begin feeding. Over time, frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Percoidei

    Family: Chaetodontidae

    Genus: Chaetodon

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Percoidei

    Family: Chaetodontidae

    Genus: Chaetodon

FYI: Should not be maintained with others in the same genus or with others from other butterflyfish genera.

Juveniles acclimate more easily to aquarium life than do adults.

Pressing some soft foods into openings/crevices on a piece of old dead coral skeleton can sometimes encourage finicky eaters to begin feeding.

Experience Level: Professional

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Corallivore

Coral Safe: No

Invertebrate Safe: No

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

Temperature Range: 70 - 77°F (21 – 25°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Chaetodon leucopleura (Somali Butterflyfish)
Photo © John Randall
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