Vlaming's Unicornfish Care Guide

Naso vlamingii is an Indo-Pacific unicornfish with a bulbous snout and blue markings it can intensify, feeding on zooplankton and reaching about 60 cm.

Overview

Naso vlamingii, the bignose or Vlaming’s unicornfish of the family Acanthuridae, has a prominent bulbous snout protuberance rather than a true horn, and is greyish-brown to reddish-brown with small dark blue spots and a blue band running from the eye to the front of the snout. It can change colour quickly and intensify its blue markings during courtship. FishBase records a maximum total length of 60 cm.

Taxonomy

• Family: Acanthuridae
• Genus: Naso
• Scientific name: Naso vlamingii
• Described by: Valenciennes, 1835

Habitat

The species is marine and reef-associated across the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to the Galapagos Islands, north to southern Japan and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia, throughout Micronesia. It forms mid-water aggregations off steep slopes during the day, with FishBase recording depths of 1-50 m.

Tank requirements

• Minimum tank volume: 1500 L (396 gal)
• Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
• pH: 8.1-8.4
• Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
• Carbonate hardness: 8-12 dKH
• Strong water flow
• Lifespan: 10-25 years

Diet

According to FishBase, Naso vlamingii is omnivorous, forming mid-water aggregations off steep slopes during the day to feed on zooplankton. In aquaria it benefits from meaty planktonic foods alongside marine algae offered multiple times daily.

Compatibility

A semi-aggressive, diurnal mid-water swimmer that spawns in aggregations and needs ample open swimming space. Wrasses, clownfish, angelfish and sturdy triggerfish make suitable tankmates, while other tangs of similar shape should be avoided in smaller systems.

Reef compatibility

The species does not eat coral and is considered reef-safe, though its large size demands a very spacious reef. Maintain carbonate hardness of 8-12 dKH and specific gravity of 1.024-1.026.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed in 2010 via FishBase.