Care Level: Moderate

Temperament: Peaceful

Reef Compatible: With Caution

General Description: The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish, also referred to as the Forceps Fish given its long mouth, has a wide distribution throughout Melanesia, Africa, Hawaii, and the Indo-Pacific. With its bright yellow body and horizontally divided face of black and white, the Yellow longnose butterfly brings a unique presence into the home aquarium. Unlike most butterflyfish, the Yellow longnose butterfly can be quite hardy if acclimated properly into the correct environment. Add with caution into a reef aquarium, as the Yellow longnose butterfly may nip at sessile invertebrates and corals. Yellow longnose butterfly have been observed to feed upon nuisance Aiptasia anemones. While this butterfly gets quite large in the wild (9″), an adult Yellow longnose butterfly typically reach a size of approximately 5 – 6″ in aquaria.

Diet Requirements: Yellow longnose butterflies are carnivores. Encouraging a butterfly to accept prepared foods can be a challenge at first. We have found that offering live brine shrimp at the beginning can gain the interest of particularily fussy or stubborn individuals. Note: All of our butterflies for sale are eating frozen foods. A diet consisting of various frozen meaty preparations such as brine shrimp, spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and other mixed foods that include coral or sponge will maintain optimal health, immune function and coloration. We highly encourage soaking frozen foods in vitamin and fatty acid supplements, as butterflyfish have high metabolisms. Offering multiple, small feedings throughout the day can also be beneficial for maintaining butterflyfish health. It is not uncommon for butterflyfish to revert back to only accepting live foods for a period of time due to the stress of a new environment.

Care Requirements: An established, minimum 125 gallon aquarium is ideal. Smaller specimens can be temporarily raised in smaller quarters (no less than 75 gallons) as long as it is upgraded accordingly. The Yellow longnose butterfly will appreciate some live rock and crevices to swim through and take refuge. Butterflyfish are sensitive to nitrite and ammonia spikes, and an established tank will also offer more abundant microfauna to forage on. Given their timid nature, a Yellow longnose butterfly should not be kept with overly aggressive or active species, especially those that can outcompete it in food resources. Compatability with other butterfly species is variable. A Yellow longnose butterfly would make a great addition to a peaceful fish only with live rock aquarium. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025.

Purchase Size: Small: 2-1/2″ to 3-1/4″; Medium: 3-1/4″ to 4-1/2″; Large: 4-1/2″ to 5-1/2″; XLarge: 5-1/2″+

Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase size is approximate.