The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish, or Forceps Fish, can be found singly or in schools on reef flats and slopes of the Indo-Pacific region. It has a long snout for picking food out of crevices and between coral heads. The Longnose Butterflyfish has a yellow body. The color of its head is divided horizontally. The upper half of the head, at the very top of the mouth through the top of the head is black. The lower half is white. It is a fairly large Butterflyfish in the wild, but remains a medium-sized fish in the home aquarium.
This is a good first butterfly purchase, though not necessarily for a beginning hobbyist. If acclimated properly, Longnose Butterflyfish are a hardy addition to any fish-only system. It does best if kept in a 70 gallon or larger tank with peaceful tank mates.
It should be fed a varied diet of meaty foods such as mysid shrimp, crustacean meat, and frozen preparations.
Fish Facts
Name: Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus)
Family: Chaetodontidae
Range: Indo-Pacific
Size: Up to 9 inches
Diet: Carnivore
Tank Set-up: Marine: Coral or rock, plants
Reef Compatible: With caution
Tank Conditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.020-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4
Minimum Tank Capacity: 70 gallon
Light: High
Temperament: Peaceful
Swimming Level: No specific level
Care Level: Moderate
Care Level: Egg Scatterer