Horseface Unicornfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to Indonesia and the Philippines. Inhabits deep seaward reef slopes and channels.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Acanthuridae. Features an elongated, deep, and compressed body. Reaches a maximum standard length of 80 cm. Unique elongated head shape.

Social Behavior: Peaceful but exceptionally large species. Active swimmer that demands high water movement to support its respiration needs.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Uniform grey-olive to brownish coloration, fading to pale white on the belly. Equipped with two sharp caudal spines on each side of the tail base. Hornless.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a massive aquarium of at least 1800 liters to accommodate its size, swimming needs, and ensure physical safety.

Diet and Feeding: Herbivorous. Feeds on benthic algae. Provide large quantities of dried seaweed (Nori), vegetable flakes, pellets, and frozen foods.

Water Quality: Maintain stable marine parameters: temperature 24-28 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, specific gravity 1.020-1.025, and powerful filtration.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Generally peaceful toward community reef fish. Due to its size, house with robust tankmates. May show territorial behavior toward other surgeonfishes.

Aquarium Breeding: Breeding in captivity has not been achieved. In nature, they spawn in groups, releasing pelagic eggs into ocean currents.

Risks and Diseases: Highly susceptible to skin parasites such as Marine Ich and velvet if stressed. Keeping water quality pristine is crucial for health.