HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishMirror butterflyfish Mirror butterflyfish (Chaetodon speculum) Scientific name: Chaetodon speculum Cuvier, 1831 The Mirror butterflyfish (Chaetodon speculum) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Indonesia to Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef and Papua New Guinea. Reported from Mauritius, Madagascar, and Reunion. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-18; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 15 - 16. Body color is bright yellow to orange-yellow with a big black blotch on the upper posterior portion of the trunk and a vertical black bar running through the eye.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameChaetodon speculumFamilyChaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length18.0Depth range3–30 m (10–98 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 30 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: Indonesia to Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef and Papua New Guinea. Reported from Mauritius, Madagascar, and Reunion.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraDotted butterflyfishChaetodon semeionHawaiian butterflyfishChaetodon tinkeriChevron butterflyfishChaetodon trifascialisMelon butterflyfishChaetodon trifasciatusMailed butterflyfishChaetodon reticulatusSee 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