Spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus)

Scientific name: Chaetodon ocellatus Bloch, 1787

The Spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae.

Biology

Inhabit shallow, coral reefs with clear water. Develop dusky bands at night. Generally common. Oviparous. Form pairs during breeding.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Chaetodon ocellatus
Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 20.0
Depth range: 0–30 m (0–98 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Florida, USA to Brazil. Larvae are sometimes swept northward which accounts for the sighting of juvenile specimens as far north as Massachusetts, USA during summer months. One record (one specimen, 3 cm) from Musquodoboit Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026