Forcipiger longirostris, commonly known as the Longnose Butterflyfish or Big Longnose Butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish

Butterflyfish

The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are approximately 120 species in 10 genera...

 found on coral reef

Coral reef

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...

s throughout the southern and western Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

, as well as in portions of the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

. It is easily confused with its more common cousin F. flavissimus

Forcipiger flavissimus

The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish in the genus Forcipiger. It is also known as the Forcepsfish. It is similar in appearance to and found in the same range as the less common Forcipiger longirostris...

. Both species may be kept as pet

Pet

A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...

s.

Description

F. longirostris has a compressed yellow body with a black triangular region on its head, and as the name implies, a long silvery snout. There are usually 10–11 dorsal spines, a black spot on the anal fin, and rows of small black spots on the breast. The fish grows to about 22 centimetres (8.7 in) in length. In comparison, F. flavissimus has more dorsal spines, lacks the black spots, and its operculum

Operculum (fish)

The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. In most fish, the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between the head and the body....

 is more curved.

Rarely, F. longirostris can be found in an all-black form as well, or the yellow portion may be brown.

Behavior

F. longirostris is a diurnal omnivore

Omnivore

Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...

, feeding mostly on small crustacean

Crustacean

Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...

s, tube feet

Tube feet

Tube feet are the many small tubular projections found most famously on the oral face of a sea star's arms, but are characteristic of the water vascular system of the echinoderm phylum which also includes sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers and many other sea creatures.Tube feet function in...

 of echinoderm

Echinoderm

Echinoderms are a phylum of marine animals. Echinoderms are found at every ocean depth, from the intertidal zone to the abyssal zone....

s and sea urchin

Sea urchin

Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...

s, and polychaete

Polychaete

The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. Indeed, polychaetes are sometimes referred to as bristle worms. More than 10,000...

 tentacles. Like other butterflyfish species, Longnose Butterflyfish mate for life.

Nomenclature

F. longirostris, together with F. flavissimus, are known for having the longest fish name in the Hawaiian language

Hawaiian language

The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...

: lauwiliwilinukunukuʻoiʻoi, or "long-snouted (sharp-beaked) fish shaped like a wiliwili

Wiliwili

Wiliwili is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the only species of Erythrina that naturally occurs there. It is typically found in dry forests on leeward island slopes up to an elevation of .Wiliwili is occasionally seen in...

leaf". It was the first Hawaiian fish to receive a scientific name, when Captain James Cook

James Cook

Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...

 collected a specimen (this remains part of the British Museum

British Museum

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...

 collection).

As pets

The Longnose Butterflyfish is a challenging fish to keep for the hobbyist. It should be kept in minimum tank size of 75 gallons (283.9 l) either on its own or as a mated pair, and it is extremely sensitive to the levels of ammonia

Ammonia

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...

 in the water. It is moderately aggressive and may fight with other butterflyfish species, especially F. flavissimus. Feeding is difficult, as the fish's small mouth limits the types of food that may be given. Live rock

Live rock

Live rock is rock from the ocean that has been introduced into a saltwater aquarium. Along with live sand, it confers to the closed marine system multiple benefits desired by the saltwater aquarium hobbyist...

is best, but tank food specialized for butterflyfish will suffice if finely chopped.