Big Longnose Butterflyfish

Forcipiger longirostris

Also known as Big Longnose Butterfly, Very Long-Nose Butterflyfish, Forceps Butterflyfish, Longnose Coralfish

SaltwaterFish

Big Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger longirostris) — Ahmed Abdul Rahman · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 8.7 in (22 cm)
Minimum tank: 100 gal (380 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe with caution
Origin: Widespread in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesas, on coral rich seaward reefs.
Family: Chaetodontidae

Overview

Give it a 380 litre or larger tank at 23 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4 with mature rock full of small life to pick at. It is reef safe with caution, since it targets small crustaceans and may nip feather dusters or clam mantles, but it is more coral tolerant than most butterflyfish. Feed small meaty foods often, cut fine enough for its tiny mouth. Keep only one unless you have a bonded pair, as it fights others of its kind.

In the wild

The big longnose butterflyfish has a long tube snout and a yellow body with a black face. It uses its snout to reach into crevices and pluck tiny crustaceans that other fish cannot get. It cruises seaward reef slopes, usually alone or in a pair. A rare all black color form of this species is highly prized by collectors.

Good to know

Forcipiger longirostris is a butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae with one of the longest snouts of any reef fish relative to its body. Its snout is even longer than that of the similar yellow longnose butterflyfish. It feeds largely on small crustaceans, including tube feet of urchins and tiny shrimp hidden in the reef.