Three Band Butterflyfish (Chaetodon tricinctus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Three-Striped Butterflyfish or Threeband Butterflyfish is a rarely imported species that is native to eastern Australia, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs in the Tasman Sea.
Three Band Butterflyfish are normally encountered in small groups or pairs on the coral rich lagoons and seaward reefs of their range at depths up to 100 feet, where they feed on zooplankton, coral polyps, and benthic invertebrates.
Three Band Butterflyfish are one of the most common butterflyfishes seen around Lord Howe Island where they are often found in large schools feeding on zooplankton in the water column in depths to 50 feet.
Three Band Butterflyfish have a rounded white body with orange lips, a thin brownish orange vertical band through the eye, two broad black bands on the body and fins, a yellow orange bar above the pectoral fin, and a yellow to orange margin on the dorsal and anal fins that continues through the caudal fin.
Three Band Butterflyfish (Chaetodon tricinctus) are on occasion misidentified as the less rare Three Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon robustus) found along the southern coasts of Africa.
The Three Band Butterflyfish is best housed in a mature FOWLR aquarium of at least 125 gallon capacity with a crushed coralline gravel substrate, lots of live rock arranged into crevices, caves, and overhangs for them to hide among, and plenty of free swimming space.
Because they eat coral polyps, nibble at ornamental clam mantles and consume benthic invertebrates in a reef system; Chaetodon tricinctus are not reef safe.
Three Band Butterflyfish are best maintained with other peaceful reef species that do not compete with them for food in the aquarium.
Because cooler water temperatures are required to maintain this species than what most tropical fish keeping enthusiasts normally maintain; an aquarium chiller is recommended along with a good filtration system and skimmer to keep this species healthy.
The Three Band Butterflyfish is a monogamous species that have not been bred in an aquarium environment.
Chaetodon tricinctus are broadcast spawners that form bonded pairs that last for life. During the breeding season, pairs display an elaborate courtship that involves darting in between the corals and swimming in circles while rising up to the surface. After the mating ritual, the female releases small pelagic eggs into the water column at the same time the male releases his sperm to fertilize them. The fertilized eggs hatch out into transparent tholichthys larvae that float along the surface in the plankton chain until they grow to sufficient size to settle on the bottom and eventually become juveniles.
In their natural habitat, Three Band Butterflyfish feed on coral polyps, algae, and small invertebrates.
Like Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus), they can be fussy eaters in an aquarium environment. A meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp, Mysis, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), various frozen meaty seafoods, and flake foods containing Spirulina or Nori should be offered several times daily.
Offering a half of a live mussel or clam in the shell or pressing some soft foods into the crevices of a piece of old dead coral will often encourage finicky eaters to begin feeding. Over time, frozen foods like Mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.
Three Band Butterflyfish (Chaetodon tricinctus) are exceptionally rare in the aquarium trade and seldom, if ever available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.
Because they are restricted to Tasman Sea Islands, they are rarely imported and virtually unknown to both American and European aquarists. Lord Howe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so collection in those waters are prohibited.
Specimens that have entered the tropical fish keeping hobby the United States were extremely expensive.
Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons
Aquarium Type: FOWLR
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy when acclimated
Water Conditions: 68-76°F, dKH 8 to 12 , pH 8.0 – 8.5, sg 1.020-1.026
Max. Size: 5.9″
Color Form: Black, White, Orange, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Not reef safe
Origin: eastern Australia, Tasman Sea
Family: Chaetodontidae
Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert