Lopez's Unicornfish (Naso lopezi) Breeding Guide

Why Naso lopezi is not bred at home: as a member of the unicornfish genus it is a pelagic free-spawner with drifting acronurus larvae and an adult size unsuited to home tanks.

Overview

Lopez's unicornfish, Naso lopezi, is a slender Pacific surgeonfish of the family Acanthuridae that grows large and ranges over open reef and drop-off habitats. Like all members of the genus Naso it is a free-spawning reef fish that releases pelagic eggs into open water, so it is not reproduced in home aquaria.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Surgeonfishes of this genus spawn by releasing eggs and sperm into the water column, frequently after forming aggregations on the reef. These open-water spawning events, tied to natural reef and lunar cycles, cannot be staged in an aquarium.

Egg & Fry Care

Fertilised eggs are pelagic and develop into the transparent acronurus larva typical of surgeonfishes, which maintains a planktonic existence in open water before eventually settling nearshore and metamorphosing. Rearing this fragile, micro-prey-dependent larval stage is beyond home-aquarium capability.

Common Challenges

There is no documented home breeding of Lopez's unicornfish. The pelagic spawning mode, the drifting acronurus larva and the adult's size confine any reproduction attempt to research-scale marine aquaculture.