Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus) Pair
Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus), known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Fourspotted Butterflyfish or Four-spot Butterfly is found in Australia, Indonesia, and the East and Central/West Pacific Oceans.
Their range extends from the Ryukyus, Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands and Taiwan, to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Pitcairn islands; south to the Samoan and Austral Islands; and in Micronesia, the Marshalls and Marianas.
Fourspot Butterflyfish are not commonly seen in the aquarium trade. They are a shy, peaceful, benthopelagic species that are normally encountered as solitary specimens except during the breeding season when they are found in pairs, almost exclusively along the exposed seaward reefs of their range, at depths to 150 feet where they feed on coral polyps, algae, small crustaceans, zooplankton, and other invertebrates.
Although Chaetodon quadrimaculatus have been encountered at depths of over 100 feet, they are more commonly found feeding on Pocillopora coral polyps in shallower depths from 6 to around 50 feet.
Although closely related to the Speckled Butterflyfish (Chaetodon citrinellus), Fourspot Butterflyfish bear little resemblance to them visually.
Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus)
Fourspot Butterflyfish have a yellow body color and a black back with two white spots on each side. They have a yellow mouth, a vertical brownish yellow eye band edged with thin black and white bands, and yellow dorsal, anal, pelvic, and caudal fins. There are no obvious physical differences between males and females.
Fourspot Butterflyfish are best housed in a mature FOWLR aquarium of at least 120 gallon capacity with a sand or coralline substrate, sufficient live rock covered with micro and macroalgae growths arranged into caves, crevices, and overhangs for them to hide and graze among, and plenty of free swimming space.
Because their primary diet consists of LPS, SPS, soft corals, crustaceans, and tubeworms; Chaetodon quadrimaculatus are not considered reef safe and are unsuitable for most reef aquariums.
Fourspot Butterflyfish are generally shy and peaceful, but can become territorial with conspecifics or similarly colored species, especially when their tank is to small. Multiple specimens can be added simultaneously to large aquariums.
Fourspot Butterflyfish do best in an aged FOWLR tank as a pair, or with other non aggressive species such as Clownfish, Surgeonfish, Banggai Cardinalfish, Firefish, Royal Gramma, Dottybacks, etc.
Like other butterflyfish species, they require a well maintained aquarium to remain healthy. A good filtration system, protein skimmer, and wave maker along with regular water changes are mandatory.
The Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus) has not been bred in an aquarium environment. They are egg scatterers that breed in monogamous pairs. When ready to spawn, the female releases her eggs into the water column where the male simultaneously fertilizes them. In a day or so, the small buoyant eggs hatch out into pelagic tholichthys larvae that float among the plankton field and ultimately settle directly on the coral reefs where they are protected until they develop into juveniles. This pelagic phase makes it extremely difficult to breed them in aquariums.
In their natural environment, Fourspot Butterflyfish feed primarily on cauliflower coral polyps, LPS, SPS, soft corals, a variety of macro and micro algae, zooplankton, small crustaceans, and other invertebrates. In an aquarium environment they tend to be shy and are often reluctant to feed until acclimated.
Live foods, live rock encrusted with invertebrates and algae, and lush growths of filamentous algae are a big plus in acclimating this species to get a feeding response.
Once eating, they will eat a variety of meaty and algae based preparations including fresh chopped fish flesh, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, frozen omnivore preparations, etc. A varied diet should be fed a minimum of 3 times per day to keep them healthy.
Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus) are not commonly seen in the aquarium trade however, they are occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a variety of online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers at the following approximate purchase sizes: Hawaiin Small: 1.5″to 2″ $54.99; Medium: over 2″ to 3″ $64.99; Large: over 3″ to 4.5″ $89.99.
Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus)
Minimum Tank Size: 120 gallons
Aquarium Type: FOWLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72°F to 78°F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1 – 8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 6.3″
Color Form: Black, White, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Not reef compatible
Origin: Indo Pacific
Family: Chaetodontidae
Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate
