Fish that fades from white near the face to yellow at the rear. It has a black bar camouflaging the eye and white spots that slowly fade to yellow.

Sunburst butterflyfish

Chaetodon kleinii
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
Diet Soft and hard corals, algae and invertebrates
Size Length: Up to 6 inches (15 cm)
Type Fishes
Range Indian and West-Central Pacific Oceans
Habitat Deep lagoons, channels and sea-facing reefs

Did you know?

  1. Bright colors and designs help butterflyfish disappear against the many colors of the reef.
  2. When butterflyfish wear stripes and spots, predators can’t quite tell what shape and size it really is.
  3. Most butterflyfish have a dark stripe through their eye and an “eyespot” located towards their tail which helps confuse predators.

IUCN Red List Conservation Status