Yellow longnose Butterfly

Description

The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish has a laterally compressed body, entirely bright yellow, with a contrasting black eye patch that reduces glare and deters predators. Its defining feature is its extremely long, narrow snout, adapted for plucking small invertebrates and crustaceans from rockwork and coral surfaces.

Adults can grow to 20 cm (8 inches) in length, making them moderately large butterflyfish that are best suited to spacious aquariums. Their streamlined body and long snout give them a highly elegant and distinctive appearance in midwater swimming.

Aquarium Requirements

Minimum Tank Size: 450 litres (120 US gallons)

Temperature: 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)

pH: 8.1–8.4

Specific Gravity (Salinity): 1.020–1.025

Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH

Ammonia & Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate: < 20 ppm

Aquascape and Environment:
Provide a large, mature aquarium with open swimming areas and plenty of live rock for grazing and shelter. Moderate water flow and high oxygenation help mimic natural reef conditions. A reef-safe setup with established invertebrate populations encourages natural foraging behaviour.

Diet and Feeding

In the wild, Forcipiger flavissimus feeds primarily on small crustaceans, worms, and other benthic invertebrates. In captivity, it can adapt to prepared foods but requires patience during dietary acclimation.

Recommended Foods:

• Frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and finely chopped seafood

• Marine carnivore flakes and pellets designed for butterflyfish and angelfish

• Occasional live foods such as copepods or blackworms

• Supplementary algae-based or sponge foods to ensure a varied diet

Feed 2–3 times daily in small portions, offering food near rockwork and hiding spots to encourage confident feeding.

Temperament and Compatibility

The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish is peaceful, active, and generally non-aggressive, making it suitable for community aquariums with other non-aggressive species. It is best kept singly or in pairs to reduce territorial disputes, particularly in smaller tanks.

Suitable Tankmates:

• Peaceful reef fish such as tangs, wrasses, gobies, and anthias

• Other longnose butterflyfish in large tanks (600+ litres)

• Reef-safe invertebrates like shrimp and snails

Avoid:

• Aggressive fish that may outcompete it for food

• Tanks too small to provide adequate swimming space

Reef Compatibility

✅ Reef Safe

Forcipiger flavissimus is generally reef safe and does not typically nip at corals, clams, or sessile invertebrates. It may occasionally explore live rock and small crevices for food, which is natural and non-destructive.

Additional Information

Maximum Size: 20 cm (8 inches)
Lifespan: 8–10 years in captivity (with proper care)
Difficulty Level: Moderate (requires large, mature aquarium and dietary patience)
Natural Behaviour: Active midwater swimmer; uses long snout to forage small invertebrates from rockwork
Origin: Indo-Pacific – Hawaii, Philippines, Indonesia, northern Australia
Colouration: Bright yellow body, black eye patch, translucent fins; elongated pointed snout

Summary

The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) is a visually striking and active marine species, admired for its vibrant yellow coloration, long pointed snout, and graceful swimming. Peaceful, reef safe, and moderately demanding, it thrives in large, mature aquariums with abundant live rock, ample swimming space, and a varied meaty diet. Ideal for advanced hobbyists, it adds elegance, motion, and personality to midwater areas of a FOWLR or reef display.