by Robert Fenner (Author)
Butterflyfishes are amongst the most easily recognizable reef denizens by aquarists and lay people alike. All species are beautifully marked and colored and fancifully shaped. What's more remarkable is their like-insect named flitting about from place to place. Some of the best loved marine aquarium specimens are Butterflyfish family members. Where would the marine aquarium hobby be without the raccoon, threadfin, teardrop and the several Heniochus Butterflyfish species, among others? It would be much poorer certainly. These and several other Butterflyfishes are well-suited for captive systems; shipping and adjusting well, eating all types of foods, resisting disease and adapting to a wide range of water conditions. However, of the some one-hundred twenty nine described species, the majority of BFs (industry shorthand for Butterflyfishes) are best avoided by hobbyists for good reasons. These have proven to suffer from rough handling in collection, holding and shipping and adapt poorly to aquarium environments for differing reasons, and/or require obscure foodstuffs (mostly live coral polyps) to thrive.