Chaetodon kleinii Bloch, 1790

Body Coloration Base

This fish species, Chaetodon kleinii, has a yellowish brown body marked with 1 to 2 broad lighter vertical bars. One bar extends from near the origin of the dorsal spine to the belly, and a second bar may sometimes extend from the middle of the back to the center of the body.

Head Markings

A vertical black bar crosses the eye; the body area in front of this bar is whitish, and the fish has a black snout.

Geographic Color Variation

Its coloration varies somewhat across its distribution range: western specimens usually have one beige bar, while eastern specimens have two white bars. Eastern specimens may also have numerous fine dotted horizontal stripes on their sides, or an additional dark band between the two light bars.

Distribution Range

This species is native to the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and Samoa, north to southern Japan, and south to Australia and New Caledonia. It is also found in the Galapagos Islands in the Eastern Pacific.

Depth Habitat

The sunburst butterflyfish occurs at depths from 4 to 61 meters, most commonly in deeper lagoons, channels, and seaward reefs.

Social Behavior

It swims singly, or in pairs particularly during the breeding season.

Reproduction Feeding Mode

These fish are oviparous, and they are omnivores.

Wild Diet

In the wild, they feed mainly on soft coral polyps (especially Litophyton viridis and Sarcophyton tracheliophorum), algae, and zooplankton.

Aquarium Diet

In aquaria, Chaetodon kleinii accepts meaty foods such as mysis.

Aquarium Traits

Its natural tendency to eat coral can be a nuisance in aquarium settings, but the species is valued for eating Aiptasia, small sea anemones that are often considered pests in saltwater aquaria.