Stats

Lifespan: 10-15 yrs
Size: Medium
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Pair
Biome: Coral reef
Range: Pacific Ocean
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Uncommon

About

A disc-bodied coral reef fish with a cream body, bold dark eye bar, and blazing orange-red dorsal and caudal fins that give it its name. Found across the Indo-Pacific, it feeds almost exclusively on coral polyps, making it a reliable indicator of reef health.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling fry
A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Chaetodon
Species: Chaetodon lunulatus