'Aiptasia Eating' Filefish?

[64Ivy]

I recently discovered a few Aips in my 40g LPS tank. And while surfing around the net for a CBB, I ran into what's being sold as Aiptasia eating filefish. No pictures and no latin name so, of course, I can't do any research on them myself. Anybody have one? Do they really eat aips? How about LPS? Any help will be appreciated.

Man I hate it when vendors give you nothing but a price then expect you to make an intelligent decision.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Most likely Acreichthys tomentosus. Thats all I can help with though.

 

[small alien]

A few aptasia is no reason to buy a difficult fish (both those mentioned). That just compounding your problem. Try joes juice or peps.

 

[mscarpena]

They eat aptasia, but also are not reef safe. So if your posting in this forum you probably have a reef so not a good option.

 

[Moort82]

I know a couple of people that have had them (Acreichthys tomentosus), both were'nt reef safe and didn't really eat aiptasia when there were other nicer things around like softies or lps. Quite a cool fish though.

 

[Comtek]

i have one mine ate aptasia now he pics at small bugs n pods he finds i have never seen him touch a coral also get a pepermint shrimp i have watched them eat aptasia as well

 

[gasman059]

warning--- they will eat your aptasia in 24 hrs and then the fun begins. Lps will be the next target, personally and thru close accounts.
If you can get them out after the work is done, but then what?

 

[mrwilson]

I have had a pair of them in my 200-gallon mainly-softies reef for about six months.

I only had a couple of aiptasia, and they ate those immediately. I had quite a majano infestation going, and they have consumed most (but for some reason, not all) of those. They also, over time, have eaten all the xenia I had (which was quite a lot, actually), which to me was not a big deal, and certainly unsurprising. As for LPS, I have a small duncan colony and a torch coral; I have never seen either of them touch either of those. I have numerous softies of various description (various leathers, toadstools, lots of hairy 'shrooms, a paly colony, a small photosynthetic gorg), and I have never seen them eat any of those. I also have two large BTAs, and a big squamosa clam, and I've never seen them touch those either. I have no SPS in the tank, so can't comment on that. My philosophy for this tank is a "fish-safe reef," rather than ensuring that I get only "reef-safe fish."

I really like these filefish. They are very strange-looking creatures (as are all of the filefishes that I have seen); they look like nothing else in my display. Their coloration changes regularly from very light tan (almost off-white) to very dark and mottled. They are always out in the open swimming around, often together, during the time the lights are on. They came to me in great shape from the DD, and heartily eat everything I offer: NLS pellets, flake, mysis, Rod's food, etc.

 

[deaddat]

Acreichthys tomentosus - Google is your friend...

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

I love my tomentosus (I have one in my display and one in the fuge) and so far they havent touched any inverts except the aiptasia, which they just mow down. I really like them for the same reasons mrwilson gave, they are just very interesting and cool looking little fish. I can well imagine that these fish could do a lot of damage to a well stocked reef however and would be a lot more worried about putting them in a full blown reef.

 

[reefsafe]

Mine was a scoly eating filefish...only positive was that he was easy to net after he ate my scoly.

 

[64Ivy]

Mine was a scoly eating filefish...only positive was that he was easy to net after he ate my scoly.

Exactly one of the corals I was worried about. I also have a few acans and a favia that I've grown pretty fond of too.

 

[CUNAReefer]

Would this fish be reef "safe" in a SPS only tank? I was going to pick up a Long Nose Butterfly, but it showed signs of ick at the LFS. A LFS employee recommended this fish to me as an alternative option.

 

[bronkanus]

I just pulled mine out of my 240 the other day because he was picking at everything but aiptasia ( scoly, trach, gorgs). He was pretty easy to catch at least but if you truly value your corals I would try joe's juice or some other product first.

 

[Korrine]

I bought a trio of peppermint shrimps for my old tank and they took care of them! Didn't have any problems with them in the tank

hth

 

[btkrausen]

I have one in my tank. Took care of most of the aiptasia in my tank, and just hangs out in the corner or under the powerheads. Doesn't really swim that much.

He does eat all frozen foods I put in the tank.

 

[mrwilson]

I have one in my tank. Took care of most of the aiptasia in my tank, and just hangs out in the corner or under the powerheads. Doesn't really swim that much.

One thing I didn't mention in my post above was that it seems like having a pair helps to promote the out-and-about, swimming-all-over behavior. When mine just happen to be separated from one another in the tank, they are much less active.

 

[jade2122]

I have had one in my sps only reef tank for about a year now. Absolutely great and fun fish but may not be 100% safe with lps or softies. People have alot of mixed experiences with them.

 

[I Found Nemo]

I have matted filefish with sps, lps, and softies no problems....I had litterly a 1000 heads of aptasia and it took him 6 months to wipe it all out. He is a model citzen of the tank he never bothers anything. He is now in a 33G he just finished cleaning it up and outside of aptasia and NLS he will chase and eat some pods but thats it.