White fish with a black band camouflaging the eye, thin, intersecting diagonal black lines and yellow tipped fins.

Vagabond butterflyfish

Chaetodon vagabundus
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
Diet Hard corals, invertebrates and algae
Size Length: Up to 9 inches (23 cm)
Type Fishes
Range Indian and West-Central Pacific Oceans
Habitat Reef flats, lagoon 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