Black pyramid butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys zoster
Also known as Brown-and-White Butterflyfish, Zoster Butterflyfish, Black Zoster Butterfly, Black Pyramid Coralfish
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 7.1 in
- 18 cm
- Minimum tank
- 106 gal
- 400 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe with caution
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Origin
- Found in the Indian Ocean, from East Africa and the Maldives to the Andaman Sea, schooling along reef edges and drop offs.
Overview
Give it a 400 litre or larger tank with open swimming room, kept at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4. It is reef safe with caution, as a well fed fish generally leaves corals alone but may pick when hungry. It is easy to feed for a butterflyfish and will take mysis, enriched brine, frozen pods, and eventually flake and pellet. It is peaceful and does well singly or in a small group in a big tank.
In the wild
The black pyramid butterflyfish gathers in large schools along reef edges and drop offs, feeding on plankton drifting in open water. It has a broad white triangle across a dark brown body. Unlike most butterflyfish it is a midwater plankton feeder rather than a coral picker. It needs open water to swim and cruise.
Good to know
Hemitaurichthys zoster is a plankton feeding butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae. Its midwater diet is why it is one of the few butterflyfish considered reasonably reef safe. Large groups form feeding aggregations that hang in the current above the reef.
Did you know
Because it evolved to eat drifting plankton, it is one of the only butterflyfish many reef keepers will risk adding to a coral tank.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Black pyramid butterflyfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Fighting conch
Strombus alatus
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Flametail blenny
Enchelyurus flavipes
Saltwater3 in (7.5 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Skunk cleaner shrimp
Lysmata amboinensis
Saltwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Square anthias
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia
Saltwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 100 gal (380 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Ring cowrie
Monetaria annulus
Saltwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Sunburst anthias
Serranocirrhitus latus
Saltwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Black pyramid butterflyfish need?
A Black pyramid butterflyfish needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Black pyramid butterflyfish need?
A Black pyramid butterflyfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Black pyramid butterflyfish get?
An adult Black pyramid butterflyfish reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).
Does a Black pyramid butterflyfish need a group?
Yes. A Black pyramid butterflyfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
7.1 in (18 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Pyramid butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys polylepis
7.1 in (18 cm) · 124 gal (470 L)
7.9 in (20 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Copperband butterflyfish
Chelmon rostratus
7.9 in (20 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
8.3 in (21 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Schooling bannerfish
Heniochus diphreutes
8.3 in (21 cm) · 124 gal (470 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Klein's butterflyfish
Chaetodon kleinii
5.9 in (15 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
8.7 in (22 cm)100 gal (380 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Big longnose butterflyfish
Forcipiger longirostris
8.7 in (22 cm) · 100 gal (380 L)
9.1 in (23 cm)151 gal (570 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Golden butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
9.1 in (23 cm) · 151 gal (570 L)