White Face Butterflyfish - Chaetodon mesoleucus

White Face Butterflyfish (Chaetodon mesoleucus)

The White Face Butterflyfish is an elegant marine butterflyfish recognised for its pale facial area, contrasting darker body markings and refined disc-shaped profile. Graceful but demanding, it is best suited to mature marine aquariums with excellent water quality, plenty of swimming space and carefully selected tankmates. Due to its natural feeding behaviour, it should not be considered fully reef safe.

Common Name:
White Face Butterflyfish

Scientific Name (Latin):
Chaetodon mesoleucus

Maximum Size:
Approximately 15–18 cm

Water Type:
Marine

Origin / Natural Habitat:
The White Face Butterflyfish is associated with tropical reef environments, where it inhabits coral-rich reefs, rocky slopes and areas with abundant reef structure.

It spends much of its time moving around coral and rock surfaces while searching for small benthic food items.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: SG 1.024–1.026
Nitrate: Low and stable
Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm

Temperament:
Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive

The White Face Butterflyfish is generally peaceful towards unrelated marine fish but may show territorial behaviour towards similar butterflyfish.

It is best housed with calm to moderately robust tankmates that will not intimidate it or outcompete it at feeding time.

Diet:
Omnivore / Corallivore

The White Face Butterflyfish naturally feeds on small benthic organisms and may also pick at coral polyps and other reef-associated foods.

In the aquarium, offer a varied diet including frozen mysis, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped prawn, mussel and quality marine preparations.

Regular feeding is important, particularly for newly introduced specimens.

Minimum Tank Size:
Approximately 300 litres

A spacious aquarium with plenty of open swimming room and substantial rockwork is recommended.

Behaviour & Activity:
The White Face Butterflyfish is an active daytime swimmer that spends much of its time moving between open water and reef structure.

It benefits from a combination of open swimming space and caves or sheltered areas where it can retreat if disturbed.

Once settled, it can become a confident and highly visible aquarium inhabitant.

Reef Safe:
Not Reef Safe

The White Face Butterflyfish should not be considered reef safe.

It may nip at hard and soft corals, zoanthids and other sessile invertebrates.

It is generally better suited to fish-only or carefully planned marine systems than conventional mixed reef aquariums.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Provide a mature marine aquarium with stable water chemistry, excellent filtration and strong oxygenation.

Extensive rockwork should be available for shelter and natural grazing behaviour.

Monitor new specimens carefully to ensure they begin feeding consistently.

Several small feedings throughout the day are preferable to one large meal.

Avoid aggressive tankmates that may intimidate the fish or prevent it from feeding successfully.

Stable water quality and regular varied feeding are important for maintaining healthy body condition and colouration.

Suitable for:
Intermediate to Experienced

Availability:
Availability can vary depending on season, collection area and supplier.

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.