Heniochus diphreutes
| Common Names: | False Moorish Idol Pennant Bannerfish Schooling Bannerfish |
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| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Category: | Chaetodontids |
| Distribution: | Indo Pacific; Widely distributed. Found from the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa to Hawaii. |
| Main Ecosystem: | Reef; Often found swimming above the reef or near the reef slope. |
| Temperament: | Peaceful; Peaceful, and does well with other nonaggressive fish. This species is found in large groups in the wild, so aquarium specimens are likewise best kept in schools. In smaller aquariums Heniochus often become territorial towards each other. To prevent this, ensure that larger tanks (75 gallons/280 liters) are provided for a school. |
| Diet: | Carnivore; This species consumes zooplankton in the wild, but will feed heartily on a number of different foods in captivity. Meaty fare is the primary diet, but they usually accept algae-enriched frozen or prepared foods. |
| Care: | Heniochus are much easier to care for than other butterflyfish and the similar-looking Moorish idol. They are tolerant of a fairly wide range of water conditions and can withstand disease. The fact that they are not specialized feeders also contributes to their hardiness. This species enjoys aquariums with moderate to strong current above the aquascape. |
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| Potential Size: | Male: 19cm (7.5") Female: 19cm (7.5") |
| Water Region: | Middle, Surface; Will swim in open areas, normally above the rockwork and corals. |
| Activity: | Diurnal |
| Gender: | No known differences exist. |
| Breeding: | Captive spawning is unknown. Heniochus probably release gametes into the water column. |
| Variants: | Slight variations in patterning (especially stripe width) can be seen. |
| Comments: | One of the two most common Heniochus species in the aquarium trade. H. diphreutes is often confused with H. acuminatus, a species similar in appearance. The rear black stripe on H. diphreutes splits the center of the anal fin with the white midbody stripe, whereas the black stripe of H. acuminatus ends higher up on the anal fin. The schooling bannerfish is the only Heniochus commonly held to be reef-safe. Though it may occasionally sample sessile invertebrates, it does not destroy them like the |
| Main Colours: | White, Black, Yellow |
| Markings: | Striped Vertical |
| Mouth: | Normal |
| Tail: | Flat |
| Search: | Show similar species Find compatible species |
| Image Credit: | sirbooks |
| Submitted By: | sirbooks |
| Contributors: | sirbooks |
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