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Butterfly Fish

Pantodon buchholzi · family Pantodontidae

Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi) — aquarium fish
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Parameters

Temperature
23–30 °C
pH
6–7.5
Hardness
1–10 °dGH
Tank volume
from 200 L
Maximum size
up to 13 cm
Group size
min 1, ideal 2
Temperament
Predator
Swimming zone
Top
Difficulty
Expert
Lifespan
5–8 years
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Description

An ancient relict species — its wing-like fins let it glide above the water. Predator hunting insects.

Care

Surface-only fish, long wide tank 200+ L, lid with air gap mandatory. Calm bottom-dwelling tankmates (synodontis).

Feeding

Only live/frozen food from surface: crickets, flies, bloodworm, small shrimp. Reluctant to take pellets.

Compatibility

Compatibility data not yet available.

FAQ

Можно ли держать стаю рыб-бабочек?
Самцы агрессивны друг к другу. Одиночка или один самец + 2 самки в 200+ л. Длинный аквариум, чтобы рыбы могли держаться на расстоянии.
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AuthorGoldie Editorial

Goldie editorial team

Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication

Goldie Science Board — collective scientific review panel
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board

Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians

Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Pantodon buchholzi · Wikipedia · 2026-05-22