Home · Chaetodontidae · Blueblotch butterflyfish
Blueblotch butterflyfish (Chaetodon plebeius) — Chaetodontidae

Blueblotch butterflyfish

Chaetodon plebeius
LC · Least Concern

The Blueblotch butterflyfish (Chaetodon plebeius) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–10.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The blueblotch butterflyfish is a small butterflyfish from the Western Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a yellow body with fine dark lines, a black eye band, a conspicuous blue blotch on the flank and a black spot on the tail base. It is strongly tied to living coral, of which it mainly eats polyps, and also hunts small crustaceans; juveniles sometimes clean larger fish. The fish appears in the reef aquarium. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blueblotch butterflyfish?

The Blueblotch butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Blueblotch butterflyfish live?

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

How big does the Blueblotch butterflyfish get?

The Blueblotch butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Blueblotch butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Blueblotch butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Blueblotch butterflyfish edible?

The Blueblotch butterflyfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Blauwvlek-koraalvlinder verified
English name
Blueblotch butterflyfish verified
Scientific name
Chaetodon plebeius
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Blueblotch butterflyfish; Blue-blotch Butterflyfish; Blue-blotched butterfly-fish; Blue-dash butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. 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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