What is unique about butterfly fish?
There are at least 114 species of butterflyfish. They have thin, disk-shaped bodies that closely resemble their equally recognizable cousins, the angelfish. They spend their days tirelessly pecking at coral and rock formations with their long, thin snouts in search of coral polyps, worms, and other small invertebrates.
Why do butterfly fish have false eyes?
Behavior: These diurnal fish are active during the day hunting prey. At night they look for shelter to sleep and hide from predators. When threatened, they turn putting their “false eye”, which are on the flanks and much larger than the real one in its head, closer to the predator.
Is butterfly fish safe to eat?
Importance to Humans The flesh of the reef butterflyfish is not toxic, but they are generally not harvested for food. They are, however, taken for the aquarium trade. Their diet may make them somewhat of a problem to maintain, though the juveniles seem to thrive better in captivity than the adults.
How does butterfly fish protect itself?
Butterfly fish have a large spot that looks like an eye on the tail end of their body. Their real eye is often much smaller or camouflaged within other body markings. This is to trick a predator into thinking the fish will move in the direction of the false eye, thereby giving the small fish a chance to escape capture.
Who eats the butterfly?
Some of the common predators of butterflies include but are certainly not limited to: wasps, ants, parasitic flies, birds, snakes, toads, rats, lizards, dragonflies and even monkeys! A few of the other animals that are constantly adding butterflies onto their menu list are frogs and spiders.
How do you tell a male butterfly fish from a female?
Males and females can be distinguished by their anal fins. While a female’s fin is broad and unbroken, a male’s fin is separated into two distinct sections, with the lower portion being longer than the upper portion. Females also grow larger and heavier than the males.