Falcula Butterfly

The Falcula Butterflyfish, *Chaetodon falcula*, is a beautiful and active addition to the marine aquarium. Its striking pattern features a white body with two prominent black bands running vertically down its sides, resembling sickle shapes (hence the name “falcula”). A black bar also runs through the eye, and the dorsal and anal fins are edged in yellow.

Originating from the Indo-Pacific region, the Falcula Butterflyfish is considered to have an intermediate care level. A minimum tank size of 125 gallons is recommended to provide ample swimming space and stable water parameters. They are generally peaceful but can be territorial towards other butterflyfish. They are best kept singly or in a very large aquarium with other non-aggressive fish.

In the aquarium, the Falcula Butterflyfish will readily accept a varied diet of high-quality marine flake food, pellet food, frozen mysis shrimp, and enriched brine shrimp. They are known to occasionally nip at stony corals and some soft corals, so they are best suited for a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) aquarium or a very large reef tank with caution. They typically reach a maximum size of around 7 inches in captivity.