F. longirostris or F. flavissimus

[nanomania]

Im planning to buy one for my 130g,can anyone tell the difference between F. longirostris or F. flavissimus? F. longirostris is true reef safe so asking. Please share with pics if possible.

 

[GHsaltie]

I haven't the slightest clue, they look the same to me! Maybe @eatbreakfast will know if there is any real difference between them.

 

[Gweeds1980]

From tlereef3d.com:

There are two species of long-nosed butterfly fish in Hawaii that are very similar to one another. Forcipiger flavissimus has a shorter rostrum (“beak”) than F. longirostris. The primary difference between these species is that the measurement from nose tip to eye in the long-nose butterfly fish is three times (3X) as long as the measurement from the eye is to the back of the operculum where the scales become yellow. (The other species F. flavissimus is approximately 2.5X the distance.) The Forceps butterflyfish also comes in a rarer, darker, color form that varies from dark yellow to deep brown.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Each are equally reef-safe. They are both mostly reef-safe, but are capable of nipping.

 

[nanomania]

Each are equally reef-safe. They are both mostly reef-safe, but are capable of nipping.

Any idea on what corals they will nip on? And feeding issues if any?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Any idea on what corals they will nip on? And feeding issues if any?

They usually feed readily. The coral issues I have seen is taking food from acans, wellsos, etc.

 

[Maritimer]

The one I had ate just about anything small enough to fit in his mouth - and would tear and shake larger items to get them in. Any frozen food, clam on the half-shell, flakes and (sometimes) pellets. Sadly, he developed an internal infection that took him very quickly.

Another clue to telling them apart is to look at where the black crosses the eye - in forcipiger, it's just at the bottom of the pupil, in longirostris the eye is mostly black.

~Bruce

 

[nanomania]

The one I had ate just about anything small enough to fit in his mouth - and would tear and shake larger items to get them in. Any frozen food, clam on the half-shell, flakes and (sometimes) pellets. Sadly, he developed an internal infection that took him very quickly.

Another clue to telling them apart is to look at where the black crosses the eye - in forcipiger, it's just at the bottom of the pupil, in longirostris the eye is mostly black.

~Bruce

Thanks bro.. :)

 

[Maritimer]

Another clue to telling them apart is to look at where the black crosses the eye - in *forcipiger*, it's just at the bottom of the pupil, in longirostris the eye is mostly black.

~Bruce

Darnit .... meant to say "flavissimus" . . .