Chaetodon mesoleucos

Forsskal, 1775

White-face Butterflyfish

Range: Indian Ocean: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky and coral reefs at depths between 10 – 80 feet (3 – 25 m) and mainly feeds on coral polyps, worms, crustaceans, clams, and other various benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Quite attractive as it has a bluish white facial area with a black eye band. The remaining body is light grey and contains many vertical black lines. The tail is black with a white band near the peduncle.

Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, and live rock hiding places as this species is somewhat shy in the wild. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) is a good beginning. Once feeding regularly, various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, can be offered several times daily.

Not a difficult species to get feeding in captivity, nevertheless, should there be a problem; small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium may help entice it to begin feeding. Over time, frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.

Its recommended there is only one species from this genus in the aquarium, as they tend to develop aggression toward others of the same genus.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Percoidei

Family: Chaetodontidae

Genus: Chaetodon

FYI: Pressing some soft foods into openings/crevices on a piece of old dead coral skeleton can sometimes encourage finicky eaters to begin feeding.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: No

Invertebrate Safe: No

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5