🐠 Pyramid Butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis)
A Bright Yellow Body With a White Pyramid-Shaped Flank Pattern • A Natural Schooling Species • One of the Most Reef-Compatible Butterflyfish
 
📋 The Pyramid Butterflyfish has a striking bright yellow body with a black head and face, and a broad, white pyramid-shaped pattern across each flank, from which the species gets its name.
It comes from a wide range across the Indo-Pacific and Central Pacific, inhabiting steep, current-swept outer reef slopes to depths of around 60 metres, often observed in sizeable shoals extending several metres above the reef. Every Pyramid Butterflyfish we ship is feeding well, and it's a stress-free eater once settled.
It's one of the hardiest and most reef-compatible species in the entire butterflyfish family, a real exception in a group better known for coral-nipping. As a dedicated planktivore, it generally leaves sessile invertebrates alone, though a well-fed specimen matters: an underfed fish may pick at some soft corals. This species should not be kept singly, doing best in a small group of three or more given a sufficiently large tank. It's a shy species when first introduced, so plenty of hiding places matter, and more assertive tankmates should be added only after it settles in. It reaches up to 18cm, so plan on at least 470L, and more for a group.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Yellow Body With a White Pyramid Pattern: A striking, distinctive butterflyfish
🌿 Hardy and Reef-Compatible: One of the better butterflyfish choices for reef tanks
🐠🐠🐠 A Natural Schooling Species: Does best kept in a group of three or more
🍽️ Ships Feeding Well: A stress-free eater from day one
😌 Shy at First: Needs hiding places and a calm introduction