The copperband butterflyfish is characterized by its broad, vertical orange bands with coppery hues and black edges, which cross its silvery-white body. The first band runs through its eye, while the last features a large black spot on its upper half that acts as a false eye to confuse potential predators.

The copperband butterflyfish also has a distinctive, very long and slender snout.

The copperband butterflyfish is found in tropical waters of the western Indo-Pacific, from the Andaman Sea and the Andaman Islands to the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan. It is also found in the Philippines, Indonesia, and the waters of northern Australia, particularly around the Great Barrier Reef.

The copperband butterflyfish mainly inhabits coral reefs and rocky coastlines, but it can also be found in estuaries, from the surface down to depths of around 65 feet.

The copperband butterflyfish feeds mainly on small invertebrates, which it extracts from the tiniest crevices in corals with its specially adapted snout.

The copperband butterflyfish is an egg-laying fish with separate sexes. Adults generally form monogamous pairs to reproduce. The eggs are released and fertilized in the water, then develop in open water without parental care.