Redfin Oval Butterflyfish - Chaetodon lunulatus

The Redfin Oval Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus), also known as the Redfin Butterflyfish, is a stunning reef fish featuring bright yellow body coloration with horizontal blue to purple stripes, bold black banding across the eyes, and distinctive reddish anal fins. This species is highly attractive but demanding to keep, as it feeds primarily on coral polyps in the wild, making it best suited for expert aquarists.

Description:

Common Name: Redfin Oval Butterflyfish, Redfin Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodon lunulatus

Family: Chaetodontidae

Size: Up to 7 inches (18 cm)

Temperament: Peaceful

Difficulty: Difficult

Reef Safe: No

Native Region:

Found throughout the Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, Philippines, and Micronesia, typically inhabiting coral-rich lagoons and outer reef slopes.

Aquarium Setup:

Tank Size: Minimum of 100 gallons

Temperature: 74–80°F (23–27°C)

pH: 8.0–8.4

Salinity: 1.023–1.025

Substrate: Live rock aquascape with open swimming areas; requires mature reef systems with natural grazing surfaces.

Additional Tips:

• Feeding: Specializes in coral polyps in the wild, making it very challenging to maintain in captivity. Offer live foods, mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, and specialized frozen diets for butterflyfish.

• Reef Safety: Known to nip at corals, especially SPS, LPS, and clam mantles. Not recommended for coral-heavy reef aquariums.

• Care Level: Suited only for advanced aquarists due to feeding difficulty and sensitivity to water conditions.

• Tankmates: Best kept with peaceful, non-aggressive species; avoid competitive feeders that may outpace it at mealtime.