Hey gang, I have two Banded Butterflyfish for you this afternoon that I found deep down inside a vase sponge at around 50 feet. These small six to seven inch butterflyfish are usually always found in pairs and are some of the most photographed reef fish we have as they are so easy to approach.
The Banded Butterflyfish is a small-bodied fish that lives on coral reefs of the western Atlantic Ocean. Like all butterflyfishes, the Banded Butterflyfish has a discus body and a very small mouth, perfect for biting its preferred prey – small worms and live, soft tissue of reef-building corals. This species gets its common name from the series of dark, vertical bars (or bands) that help to provide it with camouflage. One of the bands always covers the eye, hiding it from potential predators and preventing predators from being able to easily determine which end of the body is the head and which end is the tail. Thanks to Oceana.org for that beautiful piece of text. MORE