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Raccoon butterflyfish, photographed on a transparent background

ReefIn the market600 coinsUncommon

Raccoon butterflyfish

Chaetodon lunula

It sweeps the water in wide arcs, then drops to the rock to graze.

The Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) is a tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. It lives on and around reefs, between 0 and 170 m deep. Adults grow to about 18 cm; the largest on record measured 20 cm (total length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 180 cm long and water at 23–27 °C.

Size
18 cm
Smallest tank
180 cm
Temperature
23–27 °C
Care
Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–27 °C
pH7.8–8.5
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Activity
Moderate
Water layer
Mid water
Group
Lives on its own
Coral
Nips corals
Drawn to scale in a 180 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litresToo small
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres23 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres42 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres51 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Marine
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Coral and rocky reefs
Largest on record
20 cmtotal length
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Depth

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderAcanthuriformes
  2. FamilyChaetodontidae
  3. GenusChaetodon
  4. SpeciesChaetodon lunula
  5. Described byLacépède, 1802

In other languages

German
Mondsichel-Falterfisch
Spanish
Pez mariposa mapache
French
Poisson-papillon raton laveur
Italian
Pesce farfalla procione indo-pacifico
Dutch
Halfmaanvlindervis
Russian
Бабочка-енот
Japanese
チョウハン
Chinese
月斑蝴蝶魚

Quick answers

Raccoon butterflyfish size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 18 cm. The largest on record measured 20 cm (total length). Record sizes among the 36 Chaetodon species on LumaReef: 12 cm (Spotted Butterflyfish) to 30 cm (Saddle Butterflyfish).
Raccoon butterflyfish tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 180 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Living room tank or larger.
Raccoon butterflyfish water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–27 °C, pH 7.8–8.5. Close to what most Chaetodontidae on LumaReef need (23–27 °C).
Raccoon butterflyfish tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 56 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Regal angelfish, Purple tang, and Powder blue tang.
Raccoon butterflyfish: alone or in a group?
It can be kept on its own.
Raccoon butterflyfish and corals: is it reef safe?
No, it may nip at corals.
Raccoon butterflyfish depth: how deep does it live?
In the wild, 0 to 170 m down. Deeper than most Chaetodon on LumaReef (1–40 m).

All Chaetodontidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Raccoon butterflyfish: compiled from these references.