White Face Butterflyfish [Chaetodon mesoleucus]
White Face Butterflyfish (Chaetodon mesoleucos)
The White Face Butterflyfish is a distinctive Red Sea butterflyfish with a pale white face, contrasting dark rear body and fine striping through the flanks, giving it a bold and elegant appearance in marine aquaria. In the wild it is found on coral reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it is usually seen in pairs. In captivity it does best in a well-established marine aquarium with plenty of swimming room, mature rockwork and a varied diet. While attractive and often manageable once feeding well, it is generally better suited to keepers with some marine experience rather than absolute beginners.
Common Name:
White Face Butterflyfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Chaetodon mesoleucos
Maximum Size:
Up to 13 cm in length
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it inhabits reef-associated coral habitats at around 5–20 metres depth and is often encountered in pairs.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: 1.020–1.025 SG
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, though it can become territorial if kept in too small an aquarium. Best kept with suitably compatible marine tankmates and given enough space.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of meaty and algae-based foods, ideally fed multiple times daily. Newly imported specimens may respond best to foods such as fortified brine shrimp or blackworms before being transitioned onto frozen preparations and other suitable marine foods.
Minimum Tank Size:
285 litres minimum
Behaviour & Activity:
An active reef fish that spends much of the day cruising rockwork and open water, grazing and exploring. It appreciates plenty of rock structure for both hiding and browsing.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature marine aquarium with stable water quality. Provide plenty of rockwork, swimming space and regular feeding. This species is not considered reef safe, as it may pick at corals and crustaceans, so it is usually better suited to a fish-only or carefully planned marine system.
Suitable for:
Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
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White Face Butterflyfish [Chaetodon mesoleucus]
White Face Butterflyfish [Chaetodon mesoleucus]
White Face Butterflyfish (Chaetodon mesoleucos)
The White Face Butterflyfish is a distinctive Red Sea butterflyfish with a pale white face, contrasting dark rear body and fine striping through the flanks, giving it a bold and elegant appearance in marine aquaria. In the wild it is found on coral reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it is usually seen in pairs. In captivity it does best in a well-established marine aquarium with plenty of swimming room, mature rockwork and a varied diet. While attractive and often manageable once feeding well, it is generally better suited to keepers with some marine experience rather than absolute beginners.
Common Name:
White Face Butterflyfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Chaetodon mesoleucos
Maximum Size:
Up to 13 cm in length
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it inhabits reef-associated coral habitats at around 5–20 metres depth and is often encountered in pairs.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: 1.020–1.025 SG
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, though it can become territorial if kept in too small an aquarium. Best kept with suitably compatible marine tankmates and given enough space.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of meaty and algae-based foods, ideally fed multiple times daily. Newly imported specimens may respond best to foods such as fortified brine shrimp or blackworms before being transitioned onto frozen preparations and other suitable marine foods.
Minimum Tank Size:
285 litres minimum
Behaviour & Activity:
An active reef fish that spends much of the day cruising rockwork and open water, grazing and exploring. It appreciates plenty of rock structure for both hiding and browsing.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature marine aquarium with stable water quality. Provide plenty of rockwork, swimming space and regular feeding. This species is not considered reef safe, as it may pick at corals and crustaceans, so it is usually better suited to a fish-only or carefully planned marine system.
Suitable for:
Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
White Face Butterflyfish (Chaetodon mesoleucos)
The White Face Butterflyfish is a distinctive Red Sea butterflyfish with a pale white face, contrasting dark rear body and fine striping through the flanks, giving it a bold and elegant appearance in marine aquaria. In the wild it is found on coral reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it is usually seen in pairs. In captivity it does best in a well-established marine aquarium with plenty of swimming room, mature rockwork and a varied diet. While attractive and often manageable once feeding well, it is generally better suited to keepers with some marine experience rather than absolute beginners.
Common Name:
White Face Butterflyfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Chaetodon mesoleucos
Maximum Size:
Up to 13 cm in length
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where it inhabits reef-associated coral habitats at around 5–20 metres depth and is often encountered in pairs.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: 1.020–1.025 SG
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, though it can become territorial if kept in too small an aquarium. Best kept with suitably compatible marine tankmates and given enough space.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of meaty and algae-based foods, ideally fed multiple times daily. Newly imported specimens may respond best to foods such as fortified brine shrimp or blackworms before being transitioned onto frozen preparations and other suitable marine foods.
Minimum Tank Size:
285 litres minimum
Behaviour & Activity:
An active reef fish that spends much of the day cruising rockwork and open water, grazing and exploring. It appreciates plenty of rock structure for both hiding and browsing.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature marine aquarium with stable water quality. Provide plenty of rockwork, swimming space and regular feeding. This species is not considered reef safe, as it may pick at corals and crustaceans, so it is usually better suited to a fish-only or carefully planned marine system.
Suitable for:
Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
