Fish Index: Longnosed Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris)

Longnosed Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris)

Longnosed filefish or Oxymonacanthus longirostris is an odd shaped saltwater fish that is sometimes kept in an aquarium. Also known as the Harlequin Filefish, Beaked Leatherjacket and the Orange-Green Filefish they normally don't last for a long period of time in the aquarium, but their bizarre appearance still makes them quite popular. They also have a very particular diet, which makes them all the harder to keep alive. You can check them out in an aquarium setting in the video below...

As you can see, they have the classic Filefish "file" that stick out above its head as a defense mechanism. They also have an interesting mating process that you can watch in the video below...