Masked Butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
The blue-cheeked butterflyfish is a marine ray-finned fish of the butterflyfish family, Chaetodontidae, found in the north-western Indian Ocean.
Family
Chaetodontidae
Avg Size
20-23 cm
Habitat
This is a common fish of areas with rich coral growth, usually seen in pairs or small shoals and found at depths between 1 and 20 metres (3.3 and 65.6 ft). It will sometimes hover motionless for long stretches beneath the ledges of plate corals of the genus Acropora.
Behaviour
The blue-cheeked butterflyfish is one of the few fishes to keep long-term mates. In the wild it eats hard corals along with bottom-dwelling invertebrates. It is an egg-laying species that forms pairs to spawn, typically by day, and the fish emerge to become active at night.
Where & When to See It
Eel Gardens
The Islands
The Caves
The Canyon
South Ras Abu Galum
Ras Abu Helal
Blue Hole - El Bells
North Gabr El Bint
Lighthouse
Three Pools
North Ras Abu Galum
Napoleon Reef
Moray Garden - Golden Blocks
Thomas Reef
Aida
Amphoras
Big Brother Island
Bluff Point
Daedalus Reef
Dunraven (Beacon Rock)
Eel Garden
Far Garden
Gordon Reef
Gota Kebir
Gota Soraya
Paradise
Ras Bob
Ras Burg
Ras Disha
Ras Ghamila
Ras Ghozlani
Ras Katy
Ras Nasrani
Ras Um Sid
Ras Zaatar
Rocky Island
Shaab Claudia
Shaab Maksur
Shaab Sataya
Shag Rock (Kingston)
Shark & Yolanda Reef
Shark Observatory
Shark's Bay
Small Crack
Sodfa
Temple
The Alternatives
The Ulysses
Thistlegorm
Tower
Turtle Bay
Umm Kharalim
White Knight
Zabargad Island
Abu Ghalawa
Abu Ramada South
Erg Abu Ramada
Fiddle Garden
Gota Abu Ramada
Pinky Wall
Rosalie Moller
Sha'ab Sharm
SS Turkia
The Barge at Bluff Point
Woodhouse Reef
Habili Gaffar
Jackfish Alley
Jackson Reef
Kormoran
Laguna Reef
Little Brother Island
Middle Garden
Near Garden
Numidia
Habili Ali
Siyul Kebira
Belina Wreck
Small Giftun
Kimon M
Big Giftun
Soma Bay Garden
Giannis D
Erg Sabina
Carnatic
El Erug
Fury Shoals
Elphinstone
Panorama Reef
El Mina Wreck
Erg Somaya
El Fanadir
El Fanous West
Turtle Reef
Chrisoula K
Abu Kifan
Turft El Shahed
Shaab Abu Nugar
Umm Gamar North
Umm Gamar South
Hamda
Salem Express
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Careless Reef
Shaab El Erg
Shaab Eshta
Banana Reef
Shaab Petra
Shaab Sabina
Abu Dabbab
Shabrur Um Gamar
Abu Nuhas
Abu Hashish
Abu Ramada North
Shaab Eissa