HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishFoureye butterflyfish Foureye butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) Scientific name: Chaetodon capistratus Linnaeus, 1758 The Foureye butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda to West Indies and northern South America. Also Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, and Antilles. BiologyInhabit shallow reefs and generally occurs singly or in pairs. Feed mainly on zoantharians, polychaete worms, gorgonians and tunicates. Easily approached. Oviparous. Form pairs during breeding.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameChaetodon capistratusFamilyChaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length7.5Depth range2–20 m (7–66 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 20 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionWestern Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda to West Indies and northern South America. Also Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, and Antilles.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansReports of ciguatera poisoningUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraBank butterflyfishPrognathodes ayaScythemarked butterflyfishPrognathodes falciferLongsnout butterflyfishPrognathodes aculeatusSpotfin butterflyfishChaetodon ocellatusReef butterflyfishChaetodon sedentariusSee 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