TankBud

Golden butterflyfish

Chaetodon semilarvatus

Also known as Addis Butterflyfish, Bluecheek Butterflyfish, Golden Semilarvatus Butterflyfish, Masked Butterflyfish

SaltwaterFish

Golden butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
9.1 in
23 cm
Minimum tank
151 gal
570 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Not reef safe
Family
Chaetodontidae
Origin
Endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sheltering under table corals and rocky ledges on coastal reefs.

Overview

The golden butterflyfish is a peaceful, deep-bodied butterflyfish for a big saltwater tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Golden butterflyfish are often seen resting in pairs or trios beneath the same coral head. A bonded pair will stay together for years.

Caring for the golden butterflyfish

Give the golden butterflyfish at least 151 gal (570 L), with plenty of rockwork and a lot of open swimming room. It does best in a mature system with stable water. It is one of the more coral-tolerant large butterflyfish, but it is not reef safe. It will nip soft corals, stony polyps, tube worms and anemones.

Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed a varied diet of mysis, enriched brine shrimp, chopped seafood and algae-based foods two or three times a day.

Golden butterflyfish are peaceful with other species and fine alone or in a group. They can quarrel with other butterflyfish in tight quarters, so keep them with calm tank mates.

Good to know

The golden butterflyfish, Chaetodon semilarvatus, is a member of the butterflyfish family Chaetodontidae. The blue mask over its eyes gives it another name, the bluecheek butterflyfish.

In the wild

The golden butterflyfish is found only in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, on coastal reefs. During the day it hovers under table corals, overhangs and rocky ledges. It grazes on coral polyps, small invertebrates and algae across shallow reef slopes.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The golden butterflyfish is a peaceful, social 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a golden butterflyfish need?

A golden butterflyfish needs at least 151 gal (570 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a golden butterflyfish need?

A golden butterflyfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a golden butterflyfish eat?

A golden butterflyfish eats a varied diet of mysis, enriched brine shrimp, chopped seafood and algae-based foods. Feed it two or three times a day.

How big does a golden butterflyfish get?

An adult golden butterflyfish reaches about 9.1 in (23 cm).

Related species