Butterflyfish

Butterflyfish can be found in pairs or in large school. Butterflyfish is often confused with angelfish, since they have similar features. But they have different mouth feature, where butterflyfish have a tiny mouth just a few millimeters wide, just like an eyebrow tweezers meanwhile angelfish have a wider mouth.

Butterflyfish always charm the divers with their amazing array of colors and patterns, which can always be seen underwater among the coral reefs, all over the world. There are about 114 species of butterflyfish. Their distinct feature is that they have thin and disk-shaped body, which almost looks like the angelfish. The dark band across their eyes and dots on their flanks makes the predator confuse on where to attack them, buying them time to flee.

Butterflyfishes are corallivorous, which means that they feeds on corals. Hence, they have long, thin snouts which will help them in pecking the coral polyps as well as worms, and other small invertebrates. Their social behavior varies, some may prefer to travel in small schools, while the other will lives solitary, searching for their partner, whom they may mate for life. Since butterflyfish is predated by larger fishes such as moray eels, groupers and snappers, butterflyfish is considered essential in the reef ecosystem's food web.