TankBud

Klein's butterflyfish

Chaetodon kleinii

Also known as Sunburst Butterflyfish, Orange Butterflyfish, Brown Butterflyfish, Blacklip Butterflyfish

SaltwaterFish

Klein's butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Chaetodontidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific and Red Sea reefs, from East Africa to Hawaii, south to New Caledonia and the Galapagos

Overview

Considered one of the hardiest and most adaptable butterflyfish in the aquarium trade, usually feeding within a day of arrival and accepting flake, pellet, and frozen foods without much fuss. It is peaceful with other fish and can be kept in small groups if all are introduced at the same time. Reef safety is a caution rather than a clean yes: it mostly leaves corals alone but will occasionally nip at soft corals like leathers, especially if it is underfed, so keeping it well fed on a varied diet several times a day goes a long way toward protecting a reef tank's coral.

In the wild

Ranges across the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea from East Africa to Hawaii, north to Japan and south to New Caledonia and the Galapagos, mostly on deeper lagoon, channel, and seaward reefs below about 10 m. It forages over coral and rubble for algae and small invertebrates, so the tank should combine open swimming room with live rock for grazing and shelter. A tank of at least 300 litres (79 US gal) suits a single fish.

Good to know

Also called the sunburst butterflyfish for the golden-yellow wash over the rear half of its body, set off by a creamy white front half, a dark band through the eye, and black lips. It reaches about 15 cm and is a generalist feeder, taking algae, small invertebrates, and coral polyps, especially soft corals like Sarcophyton leathers, in the wild rather than specializing on any one food source the way some Chaetodon do.

Did you know

It is one of the few butterflyfish regularly recommended to hobbyists as a first Chaetodon, since most of its relatives are notoriously picky, coral-dependent eaters while this one adapts to ordinary aquarium fare almost as readily as a damselfish.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Klein's butterflyfish is a peaceful, solitary 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 Klein's butterflyfish need?

A Klein's butterflyfish needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Klein's butterflyfish need?

A Klein's butterflyfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

How big does a Klein's butterflyfish get?

An adult Klein's butterflyfish reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

Related species