Before file fish and after!

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

Aiptasia ,mojanos ,no problem .checkout these pics

 

[snorvich]

Some do, some do not. Some are coral safe, some are not.

 

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

And this

And this

Better pic

 

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

And now,after file fish added

 

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

This one must be worth his weight in plutonium then! It doesn't touch any other corals in my tank.i have got acros,sarcophyton ,rhodactis,rtba,trumpets and eupyhllia .except the pulsating Xenia.he ate all of it.

 

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

It readily accepts flake,pellets and live food

 

[Dkuhlmann]

The aiptasia or mojanos in the first few pictures because of the lighting look almost like Duncan corals. You should see if any of the local reefers to you have an aiptasia problem and pass that fish around to get rid of them. It would be cool to have something like that where I live but not many people around here at all much less that have marine tanks. I live in farm country in NW Iowa.

 

[gbdrywall]

my file fish ate all my aipstasia and hasnt touch any coral.he eats any food we feed the fish and hangs out with my puffer fish.

 

[mgraf]

Mine was like these for a couple years, then BANG! Acquired a taste for my frogspawn. You never know. I would have never guessed him until I saw it with my own eyes one night.

 

[snorvich]

Mine was like these for a couple years, then BANG! Acquired a taste for my frogspawn. You never know. I would have never guessed him until I saw it with my own eyes one night.

Other fish are like that as well. Prime examples are dwarf angels which have a Eureka moment and munch corals ever after.

 

[ThRoewer]

One also needs to keep in mind that many fish change their food preferences when transitioning from larva to juvenile and then again from juvenile to adult.

Many juvenile angel fish are actually more opportunistic feeders and even moonlight as cleaners, but once they reach adulthood they shift their focus more to meaty sponges and the like. If they can't find enough of those they will start looking for other things like zoas, soft corals and whatever else they find tasty.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I have a filefish,and initially ate all my aptasia within days.He was only the size of a dime when I got it in July.It's easily tripled it's size since then.So far it stays away from my coral and likes eating whatever everyone else is having.One thing I noticed and didn't read about is that it is able to adjust it's colour to match it's surrounding to blend into the scenery.Camoflauge,similar to an Octopus.Anyone here able to fill me in on that?

 

[davocean]

Our local reef club actually passes a couple around for this very reason.
Very rare I hear negative, and I suspect those times they ate up the bad stuff and had little choice for food alternatives.

 

[Giovanni]

I have had several female bristle tail file fish and none have ever bothered coral. I have also had two matted file fish and both picked a corals and I never saw them eat an Aiptasia. Matted look very similar to bristles.

 

[Giovanni]

One thing I noticed and didn't read about is that it is able to adjust it's colour to match it's surrounding to blend into the scenery.Camoflauge,similar to an Octopus.Anyone here able to fill me in on that?

My current bristle tail does this also. Very cool fish. I have had her over two years.

 

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

I have a filefish,and initially ate all my aptasia within days.He was only the size of a dime when I got it in July.It's easily tripled it's size since then.So far it stays away from my coral and likes eating whatever everyone else is having.One thing I noticed and didn't read about is that it is able to adjust it's colour to match it's surrounding to blend into the scenery.Camoflauge,similar to an Octopus.Anyone here able to fill me in on that?

Yes I agree mine is almost invisible against my main rock ( man made,by me!)

 

[bat21]

I have a fowlr with no coral or aiptasia, but my filefish is a voracious eater, and the color shifting is so incredibly cool. He really actually matches whatever he is near. It's amazing. Such a cool fish.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

So you say that the Matted file fish does not eat aiptasia but the bristle tail does.

Well Live Aquaria says
The Matted Filefish is also known as the Bristletail Filefish, Matted Leatherjacket, Tomentosus Filefish, or Aiptasia Eating Filefish. The body is a mottled green, brown, and tan coloration.

So which is it, I'm confused and need aiptasia control

Link to LA
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/...G-B-4395&t=1&gclid=CK2uueif48kCFdaRHwodPeMIZg

 

[Sounds Fishy]

So you say that the Matted file fish does not eat aiptasia but the bristle tail does.

Well Live Aquaria says
The Matted Filefish is also known as the Bristletail Filefish, Matted Leatherjacket, Tomentosus Filefish, or Aiptasia Eating Filefish. The body is a mottled green, brown, and tan coloration.

So which is it, I'm confused and need aiptasia control

Matted Filefish and Sea Grass Filefish ,Bristletail,Leatherjacket,,Aptasia Eating Filefish are the same (different names,but same fish)and has the reputation that it eats aptasia. I suppose every once in a while God creates a "Dud", that doesn't,but most people are pleased with the little guys.If you want to ,make certain you are getting the proper specimen,just confirm with the people/ retailer , that you are buying it for that purpose (aptasia).That is the only reason I purchased mine.I never had really ever considered one otherwise,but I had lots of aptasia.It turned out to be a very interesting fish...and they love Aptasia,unless you buy the odd one that doesn't.I know they do not come with a money back guarantee,that they will. I guess it is such a wonderful fish it is blessed with so many different names..Acreichthys Tomentosus( Filefish )is the scientific name.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Thanks Sounds Fishy. Here is the one I'm talking about.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+30+2562&pcatid=2562