🐠 Golden Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
Marine Not-Reef-Safe Butterflyfish • Bright Yellow Body With Fine Red Vertical Lines & Blue-Grey Eye Patch • Genuine Red Sea Endemic • Intermediate Marine Fish
 
📋 The Golden Butterflyfish, also known as the Golden Semilarvatus, Addis, or Bluecheek Butterflyfish, has a genuinely vivid, bright yellow body marked with fine, closely-spaced red vertical lines, and a distinctive dark blue-grey patch behind the eyes rather than the eye bar seen in most related species.
Native to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, this species is genuinely a real geographic endemic, restricted to a much smaller range than most Chaetodon butterflyfish, and is typically found in areas of rich coral growth, often in pairs or small groups.
A genuinely interesting natural behaviour: this species has been observed hovering motionless for extended periods beneath the ledges of plate corals. We want to be honest that it can genuinely be difficult to get feeding in a new home, sometimes requiring live foods or fresh clam at first, but it typically becomes a hardy, rewarding aquarium fish once established. It's genuinely peaceful toward most tank mates but can become territorial toward similarly patterned butterflyfish in smaller tanks. We want to be upfront: this species is not reef safe, and will nip at and consume soft corals, stony coral polyps, ornamental shrimp, tubeworms, and anemones.
 
🟡🔴 Highlights
🎨 Bright Yellow With Fine Red Lines: A genuinely vivid, iconic butterflyfish
🌍 Genuine Red Sea Endemic: A real geographic rarity restricted to a narrow range
🪸 Genuine Plate-Coral Hovering Behaviour: Documented resting motionless beneath ledges
⚠️ Not Reef Safe: Will consume soft corals, coral polyps, and small invertebrates
💪 Genuinely Hardy Once Established: Can be challenging to start feeding, easier afterward