Long-Nosed Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus)
Fish in the family Chaetodontidae. Hard care. Reef Safe with Caution.
Quick facts
Appearance
A striking yellow butterflyfish with black markings on the head and dorsal fin. The body is bright yellow overall, and the fish has an extremely elongated snout used for feeding on small invertebrates in crevices. The distinctive black eye-stripe and black chevron on the gill cover are identifying features.
Diet and feeding
Feed a varied diet of small meaty foods including mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and finely chopped marine flesh. Supplement with zooplankton-based preparations. Feed 2–3 times daily in small amounts.
Difficulty and care for the Long-Nosed Butterflyfish
Difficult to keep long-term in captivity. This species is a specialized feeder with a long snout adapted for extracting small prey from coral crevices, and it often struggles to adapt to standard aquarium diets. It is prone to starvation and requires consistent, targeted feeding and excellent water quality.
Common health issues
Starvation, nutritional deficiency, marine ich (white spot disease), bacterial infections
Origin and habitat
Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii and the Line Islands, typically found on coral reefs at depths of 5–200 meters.
Log Long-Nosed Butterflyfish in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Long-Nosed Butterflyfish alongside everything else in your reef.
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