Double Saddle Butterfly (Chaetodon Ulietensis)

Also Known As: False Falcula Butterfly, Saddled Butterflyfish

Compatibility and Behavior
The Double Saddle Butterfly (Chaetodon ulietensis) wears its name on its back, marked by two bold dark saddles set over a pearly white body, finished with a bright yellow tail and dorsal edge. A dark eye band and fine silver-grey barring across the flanks add a refined, masked look, and the tall, disc-shaped body with its constantly fanning fins gives it a graceful, gliding presence as it cruises the water column. Worth knowing up front: this one is often confused with the Falcula Butterfly, hence the "False Falcula" nickname, so it's a good idea to know which you're actually buying. Temperament tends to be peaceful toward dissimilar tankmates, and it settles in well with calm tangs, wrasses, and Anthias when introduced thoughtfully, though it may get mildly territorial with other butterflies or similarly shaped species in tighter systems. As with most of the family, treat it as reef safe with caution: while foraging it may nip soft corals, LPS, zoanthids, and clam mantles, which makes it a better fit for a FOWLR or very carefully planned reef where the coral choices account for that habit.

Aquarium Requirements
Give this fish maturity and room. Small individuals in the 1.5 to 2.5 inch range do fine starting in a 75 to 90 gallon tank, while medium and large specimens are better matched to 100-plus gallon systems with a long footprint. Aquascape for a balance of open swimming lanes and structured rock zones where it can cruise, explore, and slip away when startled, backed by moderate, well-oxygenated flow and strong, stable filtration. Diet is your best lever for keeping it out of your corals: offer a varied menu of mysis, finely chopped seafood, quality marine pellets, and frozen preparations, since a well-conditioned butterfly holding good body weight is far less inclined to over-sample corals in a mixed system.

Specifications
Approximate Size: Sm: 1.5–2.5", Md: 2.5–3.5", Lg: 3.5–4"
Diet: Omnivore; mysis, chopped seafood, plus quality marine pellets and frozen blends
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Care Level: Intermediate
Reef Safe: With caution
Temperament: Peaceful to semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons for small specimens, with a larger system required as it grows
Special Considerations: Reef safe with caution, as it may nip soft corals, LPS, zoanthids, and clam mantles, so best in a FOWLR or coral-cautious setup; can be territorial toward other butterflyfish and similarly shaped fish