Copperband Butterfly Fish

Introduce unmatched elegance and a critical reef utility to your aquarium. The Copperband Butterflyfish is a breathtaking species instantly recognized by its tall, disc-like silver body adorned with four brilliant copper-orange vertical bands, a vivid false eyespot on its dorsal fin, and a spectacularly elongated, needle-like snout. Watching this graceful fish delicately hover and slide through tight rockwork channels adds an artistic, high-end aesthetic to any large marine display. 

Beyond its undeniable beauty, the Copperband is celebrated globally as the premier biological weapon used to eliminate invasive, stinging glass anemones from marine ecosystems.

Equipped with a highly evolved, forceps-like snout perfectly designed for reaching deep into tiny rock crevices to pluck out and destroy invasive Aiptasia (glass anemones) and majano anemones before they can sting and take over your corals.

Copperbands can be notoriously shy, stubborn feeders when first introduced to a new aquarium. They require a patient hobbyist who can offer specialized, high-protein foods to trigger their feeding response. Offering live blackworms, frozen mysis shrimp, and frozen clams on the half-shell is highly recommended to successfully acclimate them.

Because they naturally hunt for small benthic organisms, they will quickly consume decorative feather dusters, tube worms, and small Christmas tree worms. While they are safe with the vast majority of SPS and soft corals, underfed specimens may occasionally nip at the mantles of Tridacna clams or fleshy LPS corals.

Remarkably docile and completely non-aggressive toward other fish species. Because they are slow, deliberate feeders that can be easily startled, avoid housing them with hyper-aggressive tank mates or fast-moving eaters (like large tangs or wrasses) that will outcompete them for food during acclimation.

Thrives best in an established, well-oxygenated reef system with plenty of open swimming pathways flanked by complex live rock structures. They require excellent water quality and a low-stress environment to truly flourish and maintain their vibrant orange coloration.