Longfin Bannerfish

The longfin bannerfish, also known as the pennant coralfish, pennant butterflyfish, or banner coralfish (Heniochus acuminatus), is a reef fish reaching a maximum size of up to 25 cm. The dorsal fin is extended backward in the form of a long white filament. The body is mainly white with two large, noticeable black stripes and yellow fins. The rear fin and part of the dorsal fin are yellow. Its body is compressed laterally, the first rays of the dorsal fin are extended into a long white filament. The background body color is white with two large black diagonal stripes. Behind the second black stripe, the dorsal and caudal fins are yellow. The pectoral fins are also yellow. The head is white, the eyes are black and connected by a black stripe. The snout, speckled with black spots, is slightly elongated, with a small terminal protractile (it can extend) mouth.

In juveniles, after the second black stripe, there is no white area yet, as in adults.

The banner coralfish can easily be confused with the very similar schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes). The main and visible differences: the reef bannerfish has a longer snout, and the spots on the snout are darker, the pelvic fin of the reef bannerfish is longer and has a rounded end, unlike the schooling bannerfish, which has a smaller and more angular end.

The longfin bannerfish is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, from the eastern coast of Africa to Polynesia and from southern Japan to the south of the Great Barrier Reef. It inhabits near the coast and reefs at depths from 1 to 75 meters, feeding on plankton. Usually found in pairs or small groups near coral reefs. Thanks to its bright coloration, the longfin bannerfish is often found in aquariums.