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Indian ButterflyfishHeadband Butterflyfish, Oblique-banded ButterflyfishMitra (Mitratus) Butterflyfish Family: Chaetodontidae 
Be the first to add a comment! The Indian Butterflyfish is one of the easiest butterflyfish to keep in the aquarium and will work well with a variety of tank mates!Aquarists and divers are attracted by the vivid colors and graceful shapes of Butterflyfish (subfamily Chaetodontidae) that dwell in the tropical, subtropical and temperate seas all over the world. The Indian Butterflyfish or Headband Butterflyfish is one of these very handsome and attractive marine fish. It is a very popular butterflyfish among aquarists but commands a high price. No special care is needed to maintain the Indian Butterflyfish. It will immediately accept foods even when first introduced to the aquarium, and It will take a variety of foods. When it is well acclimated it will go up to the surface to take foods from its keepers. Though not a very quick swimmer, it swims freely and usually spends a good deal of its time in the open water. Many reef-keepers hope to keep it in a mini reef, but like many butterflyfish it can be a coral eater if living corals are maintained. It can be kept for several years with twelve years being the record. For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
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| Geographic Distribution Chaetodon mitratus |
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| Data provided by FishBase.org |
The Indian Butterflyfish or Headband Butterflyfish was described by Gunther in 1860, and was first collected in Mauritius Island. They are found in Indian Ocean; East Africa, South Africa, throughout oceanic islands of Madagascar, Maldive, Chagos, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, to Andaman Sea and India, Christmas & Cocos-Keeling Islands at steep reef walls at depths over 131 feet (40 meters).
Due to its deep dwelling habitat, this fish was so rare that it was only known by Gunther's description for the next 113 years. That was until 1973 when additional specimens were reported by P. Gueze and L. A. Mauge on the island of Reunion.
This butterflyfish is seen singly, in pairs, and infrequently forming small aggregations in its natural habitat. It can be observed upside-down in dark areas such as under rocks or in caves, and among black corals and gorgonians as well. It is rarely encountered by the average diver because of its deep habitat.
Many butterflyfish species are known to science and most of them are available to aquarists at present, but there are several species extremely rarely found even in nature. One such group is the popular butterflyfish called the 'Chaetodon tinkeri - complex', Tinker’s Butterflyfish and its relatives. This group comprises five valid species; Burgess' Butterflyfish C. burgessi, Marquesas Butterflyfish C. declivis, Yellow-crowned Butterflyfish C. flavocoronatus, Indian Butterflyfish C. mitratus and Tinker’s Butterflyfish C. tinkeri. They all have a distinct (but almost the same) shape, and wear a variety of markings and coloration on the side depending upon the species.
Some members of the complex are reported and believed to hybridize in their scattered Pacific localities. The Indian Butterflyfish was “discovered” at a southern part of the South African coast, though very rare there. Prior to this it was believed to be restricted to the Indian Ocean where no other species co-occurs. Consequently this species was not known as a parental one for a hybrid cross until now.
Status:
These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List.
Description:
The adult Indian Butterflyfish or Headband Butterflyfish is distinctly shaped and conspicuously colored.
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Juveniles are very similar but with an outstanding black spot on the soft dorsal fin. The spot sometimes remains in some adult specimens. The eye band is orangish below the eye in some specimens.
The Indian Butterflyfish C. mitratus is most closely related to the Burgess' Butterflyfish C. burgessi from the West Pacific. However the Burgess' Butterflyfish is overall white instead of yellow but with similar bands on the side.
Length/Diameter of fish:
Adults reach 4.7 inches (12 cm), but most specimens available are around 2.8 - 3.1 inches (7 - 8 cm).
Maintenance difficulty:
The Indian Butterflyfish is one of the easiest Butterflyfish to keep in captivity. No special care is needed to maintain it. It will immediately accepts foods even when first introduced to the aquarium, and it will take a variety of foods. It will even go up to the surface to take foods from its keepers when it is well acclimated. This fish does not have a reputation as a coral eater but it may take polyps of some stony coral species, so it is not strongly recommended for coral-rich reefs.
| Diseases that Marine Butterflyfish are susceptible to: |
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Many of the Chaetodon members are often very colorful and attractive to aquarists. Unfortunately some of them are rather difficult to keep for a long period. Some are exclusively coral eaters, and sometimes they suffer from “ich” (white spot disease) and other infectious diseases. If infected most Butterflyfish can be treated successfully with medical care or copper drugs, but some species hate sudden changes of water including PH, temperature, or any drug treatment. Fortunately the Indian Butterflyfish seems to be relatively infection-free.
In the wild a cleaner wrasse (Labroides sp.) will help them by taking parasites from their bodies, however these wrasses are extremely difficult to sustain in captivity. Alternative fish such as Neon Gobies (Gobiosoma spp.) can help them by providing this cleaning service in the home aquarium.
Diseases that Marine Butterflyfish are susceptible to:
Marine Ich(white spot disease), Marine Velvet, Uronema marinum, and Lymphocystis
Foods:
The Indian Butterflyfish are omnivores, in the wild butterflyfish are known to eat live coral polyps, sessile invertebrates, and zooplankton. No special food is needed in the aquarium, they will readily accept a wide variety of foods. Offer Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, and tablets. Japanese Nori will also be favored.
Feed it at least twice a day, and if it is a tiny juvenile feed it three to four times everyday.
Maintenance:
No special care or technique is needed to maintain this fish in the aquarium and it will become a fairly hardy pet. Though not a very quick swimmer it swims freely, usually spending a good deal of its time in the open water and moving in and out of crevices. Frequent water changes are not necessary, rather normal water changes at 10% biweekly or 20% monthly are fine. Sudden massive water changes can cause trouble.
For more information see, Marine Aquarium Basics: Maintenance
Aquarium Parameters:
The tank should be well decorated with rocks/ corals with many hiding places, even for adults. This fish does not have a reputation as a coral eater but it may take polyps of some stony coral species, so it is not strongly recommended for coral-rich reefs.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
A minimum 55 gallon (208 liters).
Light: Recommended light levels
It is best kept in a dimly lit tank, but can also be kept under the normal lighting conditions as long as some dark areas are provided.
Temperature:
This species lives in tropical areas. Temperatures between 75 -79° F (24 - 26° C) will serve them well, but temperatures higher than 86° F (30° C) or below 72 ° F (22° C) would not be good.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
Water movement is not a significant factor. It can tolerate a rather strong flow but slow-moving water is recommended.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
It swims freely and usually spends time in the open water.
Social Behaviors:
The Indian Butterflyfish or Headband Butterflyfish is said to be one of the reef safe fish as it does well in a coral-rich tank, but it may harm some species of hard corals and also will attack some shrimps and other moving inverts. It will do well in a fish only community tank that is well decorated with rocks/ corals and many hiding places.
As this species is not an aggressive fish, select tank mates that are not overly territorial or aggressive. It can however be kept with the larger and rather territorial angelfishes like Pomacanthus and Holacanthus. Centropyge, along with other angelfish members of Apolemichthys, Genicanthus, Chaetodontoplus and Pygoplites could also be good tank mates. Almost any other butterflyfish can be kept safely with it, as well as smaller non-aggressive fishes like cardinalfish, gobies, tilefish, fairy basslets, fairy and flasher wrasses, etc. Small but very territorial fishes like dottybacks should be avoided. Such fish as Basses or scorpionfish, even if they are small enough, should also be avoided.
Sex: Sexual differences:
No sexual difference is noted for this species. Butterflyfish species studied up to this time indicate that these fish are gonochoristic, meaning that each fish is either a male or a female and they do not change sex.
Breeding/Reproduction:
This species has not been cultivated in captivity. Marine butterflyfish have not reportedly been spawned successfully in captivity. There are, however, reports of some success in rearing wild collected larvae of some of the corallivorous butterflyfish. It is hoped these captive reared fish will be adapted to accept aquarium foods, and thus broaden the species selections that can be sustained in captivity.
For more information see, Marine Fish Breeding.
Availability:
The Indian Butterflyfish or Headband Butterflyfish is not a very common fish at retailers and commands a high price of at least $250.00 USD.
Most available specimens are around 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) long, juveniles less than 1 1/2 inches (4 cm), though maybe obtainable, are also quite rare.
Author: Hiroyuki Tanaka
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS
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