Golden Butterflyfish | Chaetodon Semilarvatus (2’)

Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)

The Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) is also known as the Red-lined Butterflyfish.

Like all Red Sea fish, The Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) has become very hard to come by.  If you've been wanting one, you better grab it quickly before they sell out. 

Feeding your Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)

Like all butterflyfish, they requires a varied diet of meaty and herbivore preparations.  Their food need also contain some sponge, as that makes up a large part of their diet in the wild.  Either frozen butterfly preparations, or live rock with sponge attached, should be available.  Also, their mouths are small, so their food needs to be small pieces (small pellets, flakes, mysis, not PE)

Is My tank OK for a Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)?

A 50 gallon or larger aquarium with peaceful tank mates provides a good environment for a single specimen. The Golden Butterflyfish can be kept in pairs or small groups in a larger aquarium, but it is best to add them all at once:

50-75 gal---1 Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
75-125 gal--2  Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
125 and up--3 Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)

It is often kept in a larger reef tank, but you need to be prepared for them to nip.  So reef-safe with caution.  Anemones and Zoos are most at risk.

They also do not do well with aggressive tankmates.  If you already have established butterflies and angels that are more aggressive, it's a big risk to add a Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus).  They simply cannot thrive if harrassed by tankmates.