Panda Butterfly

The Panda butterflyfish, also known as Chaetodon adiergastos, is commonly found in pairs or groups near soft coral on coral reefs. They can also be found singly in shallow protected reefs or estuaries and form pairs during breeding. Unlike most butterflyfish, they are active at night. They are primarily found in the western Pacific, including the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, Java, Indonesia, and northwestern Australia. They can grow up to 20cm (7.87 in) in length, with a white body and brown diagonal dotted lines on the sides. All fins are yellow, and they have rounded broad black bands covering their eyes, with a separate black spot on their forehead. They can be distinguished from Chaetodon lunula by their background color and the missing spot on their caudal peduncle. While they are not commonly imported for hobby tanks, they can be easily maintained in captivity. However, it’s important to note that butterflyfish are not recommended for reefs as they tend to pick at or eat various corals, fan worms, and other invertebrates, including parasitic anemones.