Species Profile
Pyramid Butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Butterflyfishpeaceful
Adult size
7″
Minimum tank
100 gal
Temperature
72–82°F
pH
8.1–8.4
Schooling
Group of 3+
Water level
mid
Grows from juvenile
Typically sold at ~2.5″ and reaches 7″ over ~2 years. Plan tank size for the adult, not the fish at purchase.Diet
Frozen mysis, brine shrimp, marine pellets — plankton picker, frequent small meals
Notes
One of the few reef-safe butterflyfish — feeds on zooplankton rather than coral polyps. Cream body with a yellow triangle (pyramid) on each flank. Schools in the wild and prefers groups of 3+.
Photo: Tappinen / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0