Where to buy Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish
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About Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish
The Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish has a white to cream-colored body with distinctive black vertical bars and a network of black lines creating a decussate (crossing) pattern. The head is mostly white with a dark eye-bar, and the dorsal and anal fins show yellow or orange tinges. Maximum length is around 5.5 inches.
Key facts
- Care Requirements
- • Minimum 75 gallon tank • Temperature range 72–82 °F • Salinity range 1.020–1.025 SG • Provide plenty of live rock for grazing and shelter; butterflyfish pick at small crustaceans and algae • Feed 2–3 times daily with varied diet including flakes, frozen foods, and quality prepared items • Can be aggressive toward tankmates, especially conspecifics; house singly or with larger, non-aggressive species
- Common Health Issues
- Marine ich, Fin Rot, Swim Bladder Disease, Hole in the Head, Columnaris
- Min tank size
- 75 gallons
- Diet
- omnivore
- Feeding Schedule
- 2-3 times daily
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa through the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the western Pacific, including the coasts of India and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Reef safety
- Reef Safe with Caution
- Care Level
- Moderate
- Temperament
- Semi Aggressive
- Difficulty Level
- Moderately challenging for most hobbyists. Butterflyfish are prone to ich, require stable conditions, and can be finicky feeders. This species is somewhat hardier than many Chaetodon, but not for complete beginners.
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Diet Details
- In captivity, offer a varied diet of high-quality marine flakes, small frozen foods (mysis shrimp, brine shrimp), and prepared foods designed for butterflyfish. Many individuals benefit from supplemental feeding with zoanthids or soft corals, though some may nip at polyps.
Research before you buy
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