File fish reef safe?

[Gurp M]

Anyone know if he is reef safe? I see him picking on some softies but no damage at all.

 

[FOSELONE]

Re: File fish reef safe?

Don't think those are reef safe bro...sorry


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[reefman8471]

Filefish

Filefish

There is one species called the "Aiptasia Eating Filefish" that may be reefsafe and beneficial in that they control aiptasia populations. I do not know if anyone has seen them nipping at or actually eating corals as well. They are a small species that I believe doesn't exceed four inches.

James

 

[cakemanPA]

I believe that filefish along with lots of others will pick at/eat SPS polyps

 

[Gurp M]

Re: File fish reef safe?

I've had no luck with copperbands for aptasia control a file fish is my last hope at this point

 

[Juice It]

I've had no luck with copperbands for aptasia control a file fish is my last hope at this point

That is the wrong filefish for aptasia control.

 

[Cozmo4]

That is the wrong filefish for aptasia control.

+1 OP, I think the bristle-tail filefish is what you're looking for.

 

[Brickyardgreg]

yeah thats a harlequin filefish and they will feed on sps polyps. also known to be difficult to keep. if you search through back issues coral mag there is a great article on that fish, breeding info, feeding tips ect. best of luck

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

That fish is starving and is a specialized SPS polyp feeder. They are nearly impossible to keep without weening them off of SPS corals slowly and even then some will always need SPS to survive. They have one of the most dismal survival rates of any fish imported unfortunately.

Acreichthys tomentosus is the aiptasia eating filefish and is a much hardier and better choice in a reef.

 

[namxas]

yikes, that poor OSFF is WAY malnoursihed, then again, most of them are. as mentioned, these fish are EXTREMELY hard to convert to frozen.

also, as mentioned, one of the appie-eaters is A. tomentosus. this is the fish you're after:

 

[Gurp M]

Re: File fish reef safe?

Well that's how I got him origonaly right now he's doing preaty good belly is full, but got to get rid of him if anyone wants home let me know

 

[Brickyardgreg]

I would bring it back to your lfs or make sure whomever you give it to has the ability and resourses to care for this fish

 

[Matias Ilhabela]

have had a Pervagor janthinosoma that began to eat a Acanthastrea, and had to take over all the time that the reef was he never ate one Aiptasia

 

[uhuru]

wow, it's painful just looking at that pic!

 

[Paul B]

Kahuna Tuna is correct

 

[mmotown]

I got a pair from Live Aquaria without doing my research. At some aptasia but also ate some zoas. Luckily for me they are growing back. Fish aren't in my tank anymore!