Common name: Many-spined butterflyfish

General information

The Pyramid Butterflyfish, also known as the Multispine Butterflyfish, is a striking species with a distinctive triangular white body accented by a yellow to orange back and a black vertical band through the eye. This species is a member of the family Chaetodontidae and is appreciated for its peaceful nature and unique appearance in the aquarium trade.

Care

Pyramid Butterflyfish are considered moderate to care for. They require a well-established aquarium with plenty of swimming space and a variety of hiding places among live rock. They are not coral-safe as they may nip at soft and stony corals, as well as some invertebrates. A varied diet of meaty foods, including marine fish, crustacean flesh, and mysis shrimp, supplemented with algae, is essential for their health.

Reproduction

In the wild, Pyramid Butterflyfish form pairs during the breeding season. They are broadcast spawners, releasing eggs and sperm into the water column where fertilization occurs. The eggs are pelagic, drifting in the open ocean until hatching. Breeding them in captivity is challenging and rarely successful due to the difficulty in rearing the larvae.

Habitat

Hemitaurichthys multispinosus is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from East Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe and Rapa Iti. They inhabit clear, deep lagoons and seaward reefs, often in large schools above the reef slopes and edges, typically at depths ranging from surface waters to over 30 meters.