The Kīkākapu, or Raccoon Butterflyfish, is very easy to find in Hawai'i waters. The common name, Raccoon Butterflyfish, obviously comes from face of the fish, which resembles the masked face of a Raccoon.
Of the over 116 species of Butterflyfish worldwide, Hawai'i has 22 of the species, the Raccoon being one of the more recognizable and popular varieties. However, unlike the rest of the species, the Raccoon Butterflyfish tends to be active at night and sleeps suspended in the water during the day, often in medium to large schools. Butterflyfish can be found from sea level to a depth of 600 feet though the Raccoon Butterflyfish tends more towards the shallower reefs where it feeds mainly on a wide variety of soft-bodied invertebrates.
