Bristletail Filefish questions

[BonesCJ]

How have folks experiences been with this fish?

First things first I would not be adding this fish to control aptasia, I just think its a cool fish. Tank is a 90 gallon Macro Algae setup, so no corals, is there a risk of the filefish eating some of the macro's? Tank mates are all small and docile, no tangs, triggers or angels.

 

[devimik]

I've owned multiple Filefish and love them. To me, they are very underrated fish and are very cool. To some, they're ugly, but I see them as interesting fish. They are precise swimmers and seem to have great eyesight. My Bristletail ate all my Aiptasia - I never actually saw him eat any, but they started disappearing after he was added and haven't seen one since. It also ate part of a Cespitularia coral, but I don't blame him - it was similar in looks to the Aiptasia, at least, to a Filefish. LOL. He never touched any other corals. He eats mysis and LRS Fish Frenzy - so, pieces of squid and other chunks of frozen food, including bloodworms. My Mimic Valentini Puffer (filefish) is very cool as it looks almost identical to the Valentini Puffer, but isn't obviously poisonous like the puffer. Very good defense imitation - amazing actually. The only way to tell them apart from a puffer is the fins and they're not as fat. He wouldn't eat at all for the first week I had him, but I tried live blackworms and he loved those - then I got him to start eating frozen bloodworms and now he'll actually eat mysis too.

I had a Redtail Filefish too, but he only lasted about 8 months - not sure what happened to him - just died one day - was eating fine. I've read that they just don't do well long-term in captivity, so I regret getting that one - saw it at the LFS and had to get it before I did the right research.

Anyway, I really enjoy my Filefish and find them an interesting species. Here are some pics of mine - the Redtail is the one that died.

 

[Myles]

I've had good luck with different species of fantail file fish and love them. I would try again as they are not particularly delicate ime.
Myles