Fishician®Diet
Carnivore – live and frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live Aiptasia anemones; very picky eater
Aquarium species profile
Copperband Butterfly
Chelmon rostratus · Indo-Pacific (India to Australia, Japan to Indonesia)
Minimum tank75 gal
Adult size8"
Care levelDifficult
TemperamentPeaceful
Temperature72–82°F
pH range8.1–8.4
Compatible tank mates
Peaceful reef fish (tangs, clownfish, gobies, small angels), non-aggressive species
Tank mates to avoid
Aggressive fish, other Copperband Butterflies (territorial), Aiptasia-eating competitors
Care notes
Stunning vertical orange-copper bands with a false eye spot. Famous for eating Aiptasia pest anemones — one of few fish to do so reliably. The hardest part: getting it to eat prepared foods. Many starve. Target feed with feeding stick. Can be reef-safe but may nip at certain corals and tube worms.
Check the whole aquarium. Tank size alone does not establish compatibility. Confirm adult size, water overlap, social grouping, territory, diet, and the individual animals before stocking.