Bluecheek Butterflyfish

 Bluecheek Butterflyfish

The Golden Butterflyfish Chaetodon semilarvatus is an exceptional beauty hailing from the Red sea. It is often seen among areas of rich coral growth, sometimes just hanging out under the ledges of Acropora plate corals. It is a favorite for scuba divers to observe and photograph, and it is usually fearless making it possible to approach at close range. This pretty fish is also much sought after in the aquarium hobby though it does command a relatively high price.

This is a very popular and widely known butterflyfish. It’s an absolutely astounding species with its large size, vibrant colors, and graceful swimming movements. Adults can reach impressive lengths of about 12 inches (30 cm) in the wild, though they are more common at about 9 inches (23 cm). Its color pattern is also striking. There is a bold dark bluish mask contrasting nicely with its bright yellow body and delicate red stripping. These features have influenced a number of other common names by which it is described, including Masked Butterflyfish, Bluecheek Butterflyfish, Blue Mask Butterflyfish, Red-lined Butterflyfish, Addis Butterflyfish, and Blue Cheeked Butterflyfish.