Saddle-Back Butterfly Fish - Chaetodon ephippium - Saddled Saddleback Butterflyfish

The Saddleback Butterflyfish, also known as the True Falcula Butterflyfish, is a popular addition to more aggressive aquariums. One of the more durable Butterflyfish in the industry, it will actively compete for food against other aggressive tankmates.

In the wild, it is normally found in the shallower waters or inside the reef. Most of the time when we find this fish we find it in pairs. It is unsual to see the larger specimens (up to8 inches) alone.

Butterflyfish are not recommended for reefs as they will pick at or eat a wide variety of corals, fan worms, and other invertebrates. Most Butterfly fish are known to pick at Aiptaisia, a parasitic anemone.

Like most fish in the Butterfly Fish Family, the Saddleback Butterfly spends most of its time during the day picking at coral polyps as it cruises the reef. At night they hide in various cracks, crevices and "puka's (holes). In captivity, it will take dried shrimp, brine shrimp and, if another fish in the tank is eating it, flake food.

Habit: The Saddleback Butterfly is active during the day and often lethargic at night.

Maximum Size: SaddleBack Butterfly Fish grows up to 12 - 14 inches

Lifespan: Approximately 15 years

Minimum Tank Size: The Saddleback Butterfly prefers a tank of at least 75 gallons with plenty of places to hide & swim.

Water Conditions: Keep water quality high (SG 1.020 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F).

Habitat: Shallow coral reefs and walls in depths of 100 feet or less. The saddleback butterflyfish is found all about Micronesia and Australia, and tropical waters from Hawaii to Japan

Feeding and Diet: The Saddleback Butterflyfish can occasionally be resistant to accepting a captive diet but can be enticed with a small anemone or rock of aiptaisia. Eventually it will learn to adjust to it’s new diet by following the example of it’s tankmates. Feed a varied diet of mysis shrimp. Marine and crustacean flesh as well as other commercially frozen preparations.

Breeding: The juveniles are very different in appearance from the adult specimens.

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