Head to head
Regal Angelfish vs Copperband Butterflyfish
Regal Angelfish
VS Copperband Butterflyfish
The regal angelfish and copperband butterflyfish both wear vertical bands and both have a reputation for being hard to keep, but they belong to different families and feed in different ways.
| Regal Angelfish | Copperband Butterflyfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pygoplites diacanthus | Chelmon rostratus |
| Family | A marine angelfish | A butterflyfish |
| Gill-cover spine | Has the sharp spine typical of marine angelfish | Lacks one, like other butterflyfish |
| Colouring | Orange and blue-white vertical bands with a yellow tail | Copper-orange vertical bands across a pale, silvery body |
| Feeding | Sponges and tunicates, supplemented by algae | Small invertebrates picked from crevices with an elongated snout |
| False eye spot | Not a documented trait | A dark spot near the tail that may act as a false eye |
| Captivity | Hard to keep, due to a specialised sponge diet | Hard to transition onto prepared aquarium foods |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Regal Angelfish vs Copperband Butterflyfish: common questions
How can you tell an angelfish from a butterflyfish?
Marine angelfish such as the regal angelfish have a strong spine on the lower edge of each gill cover, a feature butterflyfish such as the copperband butterflyfish lack.
Why are both the regal angelfish and copperband butterflyfish hard to keep?
Both have specialised feeding needs, the regal angelfish depending on sponges and tunicates and the copperband butterflyfish often refusing prepared aquarium foods.
What does the copperband butterflyfish do with its long snout?
It uses the elongated snout to extract small invertebrates, such as worms and tiny crustaceans, from tight crevices in coral and rock.