Raccoon Butterfly (Chaetodon lunula)

Overview

The Raccoon Butterfly, Chaetodon lunula, is also known as the Moon Butterlfyfish and the Red Stripe Butterflyfish. These fish come from the across the Indo-Pacific region. They have a yellow-orange body that is darker on the upper half of the body; there are multiple black stripes running across the center. It has a black patch around the eyes with a broad white stripe behind it, causing it to resemble a raccoon.

These butterflyfish are omnivores and require a diet rich in both meaty foods and plant-based foods. They will eat flake food, algae, frozen plankton, mysis and brine shrimp, and live shrimp and worms. They should be fed several times a day.

The Raccoon Butterflyfish can reach lengths of up to 8″ and will do best in an aquarium of at least 125 gallons with plenty of live rock to graze on and hide in. They will thrive in a large fish-only aquarium with lots of open swimming space and live rock hiding places.

These fish are not considered reef safe and will nip at both corals and invertebrates.