FishCommonVisible while snorkeling

Bluecheek butterflyfish

Chaetodon semilarvatus

A lemon-yellow pair hovering in the shade of a table coral – the bluecheek butterflyfish is one of the Red Sea most elegant endemic species.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The bluecheek butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) is endemic to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden: thin orange stripes run across its brilliant lemon-yellow body, and a dark blue "mask" covers its eye – the source of its name. At 15–20 cm, its disc-shaped, laterally flattened body is perfect for manoeuvring between narrow coral branches.

Like most butterflyfish it pairs for the long term: couples patrol their territory together for years, often for life. It feeds on coral polyps and small invertebrates, tying it to healthy, living reefs – wherever you see many butterflyfish, the reef itself is doing well. During the day they often rest in small groups beneath table corals.

Around Hurghada you will meet it on nearly every reef: in the coral gardens of the Giftun Islands and on the Abu Ramada plateaus, groups of 8–10 regularly hover almost motionless in the shade of Acropora table corals. It is one of the loveliest photo subjects – and lives at depths snorkelers can enjoy too.

Did you know?

The bluecheek butterflyfish is the faithful type: pairs stay together for years and always patrol their territory side by side. If one falls behind, the other conspicuously turns back to fetch it.

Where can you meet it?

It appears on almost every dive in the coral gardens of the Giftun Islands and Small Giftun, on the plateaus of Abu Ramada and along the reef wall of El Fanadir.

Frequently asked questions

Not at all: it is a completely harmless, peaceful reef dweller. It is not afraid of divers but keeps its personal space – hover calmly and the pairs will often glide past within arm's reach.

All year round, on practically every Hurghada reef. Peek beneath the table corals: that is where they gather in small groups during the day. The coral gardens of the Giftun Islands and Abu Ramada are the most reliable spots, and it often appears in the shallows for snorkelers too.

The bluecheek butterflyfish lives in a long-term, monogamous pair bond: the couple defends its territory and forages together. The two fish constantly keep track of each other and rarely drift more than a few metres apart – this synchronised "pas de deux" is the species' trademark.