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Brown butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) — Chaetodontidae

Brown butterflyfish

Chaetodon collare
LC · Least Concern

The Brown butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 18 cm.

Length
18 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–20.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The collared butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific. The species reaches about 18 cm and has a deep, brown body with fine scale markings, a white 'collar' behind the head and a conspicuous red band on the tail base. It occurs on coral reefs, in pairs or larger aggregations, mainly along reef edges and the upper slope; juveniles stay in estuaries. The diet consists mainly of coral polyps. The species is widely exported to Europe and America for the aquarium trade, but is difficult to acclimate to the aquarium.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brown butterflyfish?

The Brown butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Brown butterflyfish live?

The Brown butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Brown butterflyfish get?

The Brown butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 18 cm. On average the species is around 12 cm.

Is the Brown butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brown butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Brown butterflyfish edible?

The Brown butterflyfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Halsband-koraalvlinder sourced
English name
Brown butterflyfish verified
Scientific name
Chaetodon collare
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Collare butterflyfish; Collared butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
18.0 verified
Average length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chaetodon

More from the family Chaetodontidae

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