Husbandry
Hemitaurichthys polylepis also known as the Pyramid Butterflyfish can be found throughout the Pacific Ocean and its distribution extends from Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the Hawaiian Islands, north to the waters of southern Japan and then south to the Rowley Shoals and New Caledonia.
The Pyramid Butterflyfish is easily recognised by its colouration and the pyramid shape on the side of its body.
Hemitaurichthys polylepis occurring on coral reefs where it often forms large schools and feed on plankton carried by currents.
The Pyramid Butterflyfish grows to a maximum length of approximately 18cm. Easy to keep once it is accomplished. A small group of 3 to 5 individuals would be excellent in an reef-tank.
Remarks:
Butterflyfish are not recommended for reefs as they will pick at or eat a wide variety of corals, fan worms, and other invertebrates. Most Butterflyfish are known to pick at Aiptaisia, a parasitic anemone.
Synonyms:
Chaetodon polylepis Bleeker, 1857
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Pisces (Superclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Perciformes (Order) > Percoidei (Suborder) > Chaetodontidae (Family) > Hemitaurichthys (Genus) > Hemitaurichthys polylepis (Species)