| Scientific Name | Chaetodon collare |
| Common Names | Redtail Butterflyfish, Pakistani Butterflyfish, Collared Butterflyfish |
| Max Length | 7 inches (18 cm) |
| Min Tank Size | 75 gallons (284 liters) for a single fish; larger for pairs. Their active nature requires ample swimming space and rockwork. |
| Temperament | Peaceful to semi-aggressive; generally tolerant but may chase similar butterflyfish. Can be kept singly or in pairs if introduced together and provided with space. |
| Reef Safe | ✗ No |
The Redtail Butterflyfish brings a colorful presence to marine tanks. Its body is golden yellow with a black collar-like band behind the head, vertical black eye stripe, and a striking red-orange tail fin. Native to the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, they inhabit coral reefs at depths of 3-40 meters. Difficult to acclimate but hardy once settled, they thrive in mature tanks with excellent water quality, rewarding keepers with their graceful swimming.
Omnivorous, feeding on coral polyps, benthic invertebrates, and algae in the wild. In aquariums, offer frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and algae-based flakes with spirulina. Feed small amounts 2-3 times daily. May need live foods initially to acclimate.
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