HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishReef butterflyfish Reef butterflyfish (Chaetodon sedentarius) Scientific name: Chaetodon sedentarius Poey, 1860 The Reef butterflyfish (Chaetodon sedentarius) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, North Carolina, USA to northern South America, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. BiologyInhabit coral reefs. Prefer to feed on eggs of Abudefduf saxatilis but also on polychaete worms, shrimps, amphipods and hydroids. Oviparous. Form pairs during breeding.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameChaetodon sedentariusFamilyChaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length15.0Depth range5–92 m (16–302 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 92 m, usually 15 - 40 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionWestern Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to northern South America, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansReports of ciguatera poisoningUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 7,800) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraSpotfin butterflyfishChaetodon ocellatusBanded butterflyfishChaetodon striatusScythemarked butterflyfishPrognathodes falciferCherubfishCentropyge argiFoureye butterflyfishChaetodon capistratusSee 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