How long do butterflyfish live ?

Even with the right and very good life conditions butterflyfishes can live 3 years. During the breeding season, butterfly fish are kept in pairs. They sweep pelagic (free-floating) eggs. Fry at the initial stage have bone plates covering the head, with age they dissolve.

Butterflyfish do not have active protection, so they are typical victims of predatory fish. In general, these species are few, but also do not represent a special rarity. Due to its colorful butterfly fish attract a lot of attention. At the same time, they are rarely found in ordinary aquariums. For domestic maintenance, they are of little use because they need salt water, a special feed, and, in cramped conditions, they show aggression towards other fish (interesting article about blobfish – pressurized blobfish).

These bright fish have one more unexpected application. It turns out this beauty … is completely edible. Meat of fish-butterflies is delicious, therefore local fishermen catch them in food. On the other hand, there is no mass production, because butterfly fish do not form large clusters. In addition, in some cases, their meat can cause severe poisoning – ciguaters. Such cases were observed in those places where butterfly fishes fed on poisonous tentacles of actinium, whose toxins accumulated in their tissues.