Latin name

Chelmon rostratus

Other name

Beaked coral fish

Identification

Copper banded butterflyfish have a long snout. Juveniles look like adults. 

Features of fish fins

Dorsal fin has 9 hard and 28-30 soft rays. Anal spines: 3; anal soft rays: 19 - 21.

Fish colouring

Copper banded butterflyfish are easily identified by their yellow stripe. 

Distribution

The range extends from southern Japan and Taiwan through the entire Coral Triangle, northern Thailand, the Andaman, Nicobar and Solomon Islands and northern Australia. The area of the range is approximately 17,300 km².

Habitat

A tropical marine species that prefers brackish water. Natural habitats are along rocky shores, coral reefs and in estuaries in brackish seawater. Depth ranges from 1 to 41 metres. 

Size

Maximum length of this species is 20.0 cm. Maximum recorded age: 10 years.

Behavior

A non-migratory species. They live alone or in pairs. They are territorial. 

Food and feeding habits

The Copperband Butterflyfish uses its long snout to forage for food, which consists of a variety of small aquatic animals, usually found between rocks or in crevices, which form the basis of its diet.

Reproduction

They form pairs during the breeding season.

Fishing

Fished for the aquarium trade, but there is no data on the extent to which this affects population numbers. There are no other serious threats to the species.

Relationship with a person

Harmless. Copper banded butterflyfish can be found in the aquarium trade.