Coral reef fishes vary in their reliance on live coral, with some species, particularly within the family Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes), depending heavily on coral for food and shelter. As a result, mass coral bleaching events — marked by the progressive loss of coral algae symbionts, nutritional quality, and colony survival — can cause disproportionate impacts on some coral-dependent species. In addition to reduced resource availability, bleaching can trigger increased conspecific and interspecific aggression, leading to sublethal effects such as reduced body condition, growth and elevated stress levels. These effects may alter fish assemblage composition through the loss of vulnerable species, especially in regions subject to recurrent disturbances. Following a widespread coral bleaching event on the southern Great Barrier Reef, we conducted a temporal study at One Tree Island to assess the resilience of seven Chaetodon species comprising three coral-dependency guilds: obligate corallivores, facultative corallivores, and omnivores. We quantified reef benthic composition, fish behaviour, growth and condition metrics at 1-month and 12-months post event. Our results may highlight divergent responses between trophic guilds, and are important for understanding relative impacts of these increasingly common events on coral associated fishes.