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Longfin Bannerfish
Butterflyfish

Longfin Bannerfish

Heniochus acuminatus

The Longfin Bannerfish trails a long white dorsal filament like the true Moorish Idol it's often mistaken for — but it's a butterflyfish, not a Zanclid, and far easier to feed. It's the pickier of the two Heniochus 'bannerfish': hobby and retailer sources both flag it as a threat to corals and sessile invertebrates, so keep it in a fish-only or very cautious reef, and add just one per tank.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
9.8"
Min tank
130 gal
Reef-safe
Not reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Longfin Bannerfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Longfin Bannerfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Longfin Bannerfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Longfin Bannerfish.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Longfin Bannerfish and may harass it.Schooling BannerfishLongfin Bannerfish and Schooling Bannerfish are the same genus (Heniochus) and will fight — keep only one.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Longfin Bannerfish and may harass it.Blue-Leg Hermit CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Blue-Leg Hermit Crab is on the menu.Trochus SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Trochus Snail is on the menu.Astrea SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Astrea Snail is on the menu.Cerith SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Cerith Snail is on the menu.Nassarius SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nassarius Snail is on the menu.Nerite SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nerite Snail is on the menu.Mexican Turbo SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Mexican Turbo Snail is on the menu.Bumble Bee SnailLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Bumble Bee Snail is on the menu.Scarlet Reef Hermit CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab is on the menu.Zebra Hermit CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Zebra Hermit Crab is on the menu.Halloween Hermit CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Halloween Hermit Crab is on the menu.Emerald CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Emerald Crab is on the menu.Sally Lightfoot CrabLongfin Bannerfish hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Sally Lightfoot Crab is on the menu.Skunk Cleaner ShrimpLongfin Bannerfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Skunk Cleaner Shrimp is on the menu.