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Longnose Butterflyfish

Forcipiger flavissimus

Marine Marine Indo-Pacific

Instantly recognisable by its elongated forceps-like snout and bright yellow body. It uses this snout to extract benthic invertebrates from tiny rock crevices. Often employed to control nuisance glass anemones, it can sometimes nip at tubeworms, delicate clam mantles, and fleshy coral polyps.

Also called: Forcepsfish, Big long-nosed butterflyfish, Common longnose butterflyfish, Forceps fish.

20 cm adult length, drawn to scale. deep body.

Saltwater species. The planner judges it with a marine rule set. A reef or fish-only tank takes months to mature and costs more to run than freshwater. See the marine page.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 1 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 20 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 350 L, at least 120 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 60 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 23 to 27 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 8.1 to 8.4 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 8 to 12, KH 8 to 12 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Medium Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size Single fish is fine Not a schooling species.
Temperament Peaceful Territorial: weak.
Swims in All levels Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 10 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Some experience helps A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Salinity Marine, about SG 1.023 to 1.025 Needs salt water, a different build and a longer-running tank than a freshwater set-up.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Longnose Butterflyfish is an carnivore that swims in all levels of the tank. It is safe with plants. Give it plenty of cover.

Tankmates

Works with

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.