Pearlscale Butterfly

The Pearlscale Butterfly, Chaetodon xanthurus, has pearly white scales with black edges that give it a cross-hatched or netted pattern with accents of a black eye bar and bright orange or yellow on the rear and tail. They are very hardy and peaceful and can be kept with other peaceful fish, but may become aggressive towards other Butterflies with a similar pattern or coloration in smaller tanks.

They are also not reef safe since they will nip at and eat soft corals and stony polyps as well as ornamental shrimp, tube worms and anemones. Diet should include a variety of mysis and vitamin enriched brine shrimp, spirulina, nori, seaweed, marine algae, and algae based foods, 2-3 times daily.