Butterflyfish

tropical ocean · colorful reef fish · small fish families

Stunning tropical colors. Butterflyfish come in incredible combinations of yellow, white, black, orange, and blue. Their bright patterns help them blend in with coral reefs and warn predators that they might taste bad.

Found on reefs worldwide. These fish live mostly on coral reefs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. You'll find them darting around tropical waters wherever corals grow.

A big family of fish. There are about 129 different species of butterflyfish in 12 genera. The biggest group is called Chaetodon, which contains many of the species we know best.

Reef partners. Butterflyfish are part of a larger family that includes bannerfish and coralfish. They all share the same family name, Chaetodontidae, and live similar lives on the reef.

Easy to spot. Butterflyfish are conspicuous, meaning they stand out and are easy to see on the reef. Their bright colors and active swimming make them some of the most eye-catching fish around.