Mueller's Coralfish (Chelmon muelleri)
Fish in the family Chaetodontidae. Hard care. Not Reef Safe.
Quick facts
Appearance
Mueller's Coralfish is a small, compressed butterflyfish with a distinctive black and white banded body pattern. The head and front body are predominantly yellow-orange with black vertical bars, while the rear body transitions to white with black striping. A prominent black eye-stripe and yellow facial markings are characteristic of this species.
Diet and feeding
Mueller's Coralfish is primarily a corallivore and zooplankton feeder in the wild. In captivity, offer varied meaty foods including small frozen copepods, amphipods, mysis shrimp, and finely chopped seafood, supplemented with small pieces of coral food preparations. Feed 2–3 times daily in small portions.
Difficulty and care for the Mueller's Coralfish
Mueller's Coralfish is challenging for most hobbyists due to its specialized corallivorous diet and feeding behavior. It requires a mature, well-established reef aquarium with abundant live coral polyps and can be destructive to stony and soft corals, making it unsuitable for coral-focused systems.
Common health issues
Marine ich, Fin rot, Swim bladder disorder, Bacterial infections, Parasitic infestations
Origin and habitat
Indo-Pacific region, including the Great Barrier Reef, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Found in coral reef environments from shallow lagoons to deeper reef slopes.
Log Mueller's Coralfish in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Mueller's Coralfish alongside everything else in your reef.
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