Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger Flavissimus)

Size: only S,M

Species Name : Forcipiger Flavissimus

Care Level : Moderate

Temperament : Peaceful

Color : Yellow, Black, White

Diet : Carnivore

Reef Compatible : With Caution

Water Conditions : sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4

Max. Size : 9"

Origin : Africa, Indonesia, Maldives, Melanesia

Family : Chaetodontidae

Minimum Tank Size : 125 gallons

The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger Flavissimus), or Forceps Fish, can be found singly or in schools on reef flats and slopes of the Indo-Pacific region.

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 has a long snout that resembles a pair of needle nose pliers, for picking food out of crevices and between coral heads. The dorsal spines are long and jagged. 

Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish need plenty of shelter and room to swim around. These fish prefer rockwork, preferably well developed live rock, that has caves or overhangs. It is best kept in a 125 gallon or larger aquarium. If acclimated properly, Longnose Butterflyfish are a hardy addition to any fish-only system.

In general, it is a peaceful fish. Butterflyfish are usually best kept singly or in larger aquariums as a mated pair. It does better with other non-aggressive fish, but can be placed into a moderately-aggressive community if introduced into the aquarium first. Small but very territorial fishes like dottybacks should be avoided. Also, fish like bass or scorpionfish, even if they are small enough, should be avoided. Use caution if housing this species in a reef aquarium, it may nip at corals and sessile invertebrates.

Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish are omnivorous but are primarily meat eaters. It should be fed a varied diet of meaty foods mysis shrimp, crustacean meat, and frozen preparations. It may enjoy eating live brine shrimp but should be fed as many different foods as it will eat, as it will not thrive on that diet alone.