Pyramid Butterflyfish

the fish profile

Pyramid Butterflyfish

This species is known as Pyramid Butterflyfish, Brushytoothed Butterflyfish and the correct latin name is Hemitaurichthys polylepis. The family that this marine fish species belongs to is called the Butterfly Fish family. (e) It's origin is Pacific Ocean. (e)

Character and suggestions regarding care

A peaceful species.

Pyramid Butterflyfish can grow up to 18 cm what is approximately 7 inches. In general, 1 specimen requires at least 2160cm2 of water surface which is approximately 334 square inch. This fish should be kept in aquariums that are medium. (e) Medium aquariums have at least 113 Litres (30 US Gallons). Large aquariums have at least 265 Litres (70 US Gallons). Very large aquariums hold at least 700 Litres (185 US Gallons).

It is easy to keep the Pyramid Butterflyfish. (e) The specific gravity (SG) should be between 1,020 and 1,025, the temperature between 23°C (73.4°F) and 26°C (78.8°F). The pH level should be stable, varying between 8.0 and 8.3 which is usual for marine fish.

Even though most of butterfly fish pick on corals, these are the most coral-friendly fish of the butterfly fish family. If you feed them well, they will not eat corals. But when they are hungry, or when they have not wide variety of food, they will pick on fine polyps. In the nature, they mostly eat plankton. Pyramid Butterflyfish forms shoals in the nature, but in a tank, they do not like the company of each other much. It is best to keep more of them in really big tanks. In a tank, they need both hiding places ? where they can sleep and swimming places.

This fish is omnivorous, so it will eat plant based food, but also small crustaceans. I would recommend to buy smaller fish, because they can get accustomed to the aquarium easier than adults.

Thanks to Kenneth Leonard for the pictures. Copyright Ken Leonard.

Pyramid Butterflyfish, picture no. 1

Pyramid Butterflyfish, picture no. 2

Pyramid Butterflyfish, picture no. 3



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Document modified on Fri Feb 6 1:28:07 UTC 2009
Document created on Fri Feb 6 1:28:07 UTC 2009
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