HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishEightband butterflyfish Eightband butterflyfish (Chaetodon octofasciatus) Scientific name: Chaetodon octofasciatus Bloch, 1787 The Eightband butterflyfish (Chaetodon octofasciatus) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 10 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-19; Anal spines: 3 - 4; Anal soft rays: 14 - 17. White to yellowish below with 7 black stripes over head and sides, one centrally on snout and another as a strong black margin on end of dorsal and anal fins. Third line extends onto ventral fin.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameChaetodon octofasciatusFamilyChaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length12.0Depth range3–20 m (10–66 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 20 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-West Pacific: East Indies and the Philippines, through Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef to the Solomon Island, Palau, and north to China; extends into the Indian Ocean at least to the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraSpot-tail butterflyfishChaetodon ocellicaudusScrawled butterflyfishChaetodon meyeriAtoll butterflyfishChaetodon mertensiiBlackback butterflyfishChaetodon melannotusSpotband butterflyfishChaetodon punctatofasciatusSee all angelfish & butterflyfish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026