Naso brevirostris

(Cuvier, 1829)

Spotted Unicornfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe Island.

Size: 24 inches (60 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits the mid waters of deep outer lagoons and seaward reef drop-offs and usually found at depths between 15 - 150 feet (5 - 45 m) where it feeds mainly on zooplankton and some benthic algae.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade having a greyish green body, a hornlike forehead and dark spots on the face. Colors vary depending upon maturity and area of collection.

Best maintained in well-established reef or fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas as those in this genus are mid water swimmers, and preferably with copious amounts of microalgae. Tankmates should be non-fin-nipping, peaceful species.

Requires a varied vegetable diet, including Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, dried seaweed (Nori), and enriched vegetable flakes, and requires three or four feedings per day. Will not browse on filamentous algae, as those in this genus are mainly zooplankton feeders, and also consume minor amounts of macro and microalgae.

In fact, copious amounts of live macroalgae, e.g., Caulerpa, such as C. prolifera and C. mexicana is often quite helpful in keeping those in this genus well fed and healthy.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Acanthuroidei

Family: Acanthuridae

Genus: Naso

FYI: One per aquarium.

Has a sharp forward pointing spine on each side of the caudal peduncle, which is fixed in an outward position, i.e., does not fold into a groove, as with other species in this family. Can cause damage to the hands of its keeper if handled carelessly and its best not to net this species, simply use a large clear plastic container to capture it when transferring it to another aquarium.

May quarrel with other species in its genus.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Herbivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 360 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.5