The Red Sea Larvatus Butterfly, Chaetodon larvatus, has a truly unique look for a butterfly, featuring a red face with a cream colored body that fades to a pale blue, marked with thin vertical yellow lines and a black tail. They are peaceful and can be kept with other peaceful fish, but may become aggressive towards other Butterflies with a similar pattern or coloration in smaller tanks. Since they are more sensitive than most other Butterflies, they are recommended for experts only.
They are also not reef safe since they will nip at and eat soft corals and stony polyps as well as ornamental shrimp, tube worms and anemones. Diet should include a variety of mysis and vitamin enriched brine shrimp, spirulina, nori, seaweed, marine algae, and algae based foods, 2-3 times daily.
