Copperband Butterflyfish Identification Guide
Identify the Copperband Butterflyfish by its long tweezer-like snout and orange-banded, disc-shaped body.
Read the full Copperband Butterflyfish encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Flattened, disc-shaped silvery-white body crossed by four to five vertical copper-orange bands, each edged in black
- Long, slender, tweezer-like snout used to probe crevices
- A prominent black false eyespot ringed in white near the rear of the dorsal fin
- True eye is disguised by a dark vertical band running through it
- Tall dorsal fin and rounded tail
- Grows to about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm)
- Overall body shape is thin and disc-like when viewed head-on, an adaptation for slipping into narrow crevices
Common look-alikes
- Longnose Butterflyfish: also has an elongated snout, but shows a bold black-and-yellow two-tone body pattern instead of copper-orange vertical bands
- Bennett's Butterflyfish: shares a banded look, but has a shorter snout and a different eyespot placement near the tail rather than the dorsal fin
Where you'll see one
Copperband Butterflyfish are found across the Indo-Pacific on shallow reef flats, lagoons, and rubble zones, usually alone or in pairs, where the long snout is used to pick at food hidden in tight coral crevices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Copperband Butterflyfish from a Longnose Butterflyfish?
The Copperband shows copper-orange vertical bands on a white body, while the Longnose Butterflyfish has a bold black-and-yellow two-tone pattern instead.
What feature disguises the Copperband Butterflyfish's real eye?
A dark vertical band runs through the true eye, while a false eyespot near the rear of the dorsal fin draws attention away from it.