Longnose Butterflyfish, also known as Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish or Forceps Butterflyfish, is a type of marine fish that belongs to the Chaetodontidae family.
It can be found in tropical waters from Africa’s east coast to Hawaii and the Red Sea.
This fish also lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean, from Baja California to Revillagigedo Islands and Galapagos.
This small fish is sometimes kept in aquariums. It mainly lives in exposed seaward reefs but can also be found in lagoon reefs.
Longnose butterflyfish usually swims alone or in small groups of up to five individuals. Adult pairs are commonly seen together.
Longnose butterflyfish has a diverse diet including hydroids, fish eggs, small crustaceans, tube feet of echinoderms, pedicilaria of sea urchins, and polychaete tentacles.
In Hawaii, it’s considered the second most important export.
However, this fish is not reef-safe due to its feeding habits on various aquatic lifeforms which may cause harm to coral reef ecosystems.
Longnose Butterflyfish Interesting Facts
- Longnose butterflyfish grow up to 8.7 inches (22.0 centimeters) long and live for about 18 years.
- This fish has a diverse diet, including hydroids, fish eggs, small crustaceans, and polychaete tentacles.
- Longnose butterflyfish mate monogamously, forming pairs during the breeding season.
- They inhabit depths of 2 to 145 meters and are found in tropical waters from Africa’s east coast to Hawaii and the Red Sea.
Longnose Butterflyfish Habitat
Longnose butterflyfish is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii and Easter Island.
It also lives in southern Japan, Lord Howe Island, Micronesia, southern Baja California, Mexico, and around the Revillagigedo and Galapagos Islands.
Longnose butterflyfish is a marine species that lives in coral reefs. It doesn’t migrate and is found at depths of 2 to 145 meters (6 to 475 feet).
This tropical fish is typically found between latitudes of 36°N to 32°S and longitudes of 30°E to 79°W.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Longnose Butterflyfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 8.7 inches (22.0 centimeters)
Longnose butterflyfish grows up to 8.7 inches (22.0 centimeters) long and live for about 18 years.
This fish has 12 to 13 dorsal spines, 19 to 25 soft dorsal rays, 3 anal spines, and 17 to 19 soft anal rays.
This fish’s head is black on top and white-silver underneath, while its body is yellow.
Its fins are also yellow, except for a black spot near the base of its anal fin.
The snout makes up around half of the head length, and the body depth is almost twice its width.
Longnose Butterflyfish Reproduction
Longnose butterflyfish form unique pairs during breeding. These fish are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs.
They also show monogamous mating, meaning they have only one partner at a time. This behavior is both required and social.
Longnose Butterflyfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Forcipiger |
| Scientific Name: | Forcipiger flavissimus |
| Also Known As: | Longnose Butterflyfish, Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish, Forceps Butterflyfish |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |