filefish?

[Eastamherstbias]

I have an outbreak of aiptasia and I was thinking of getting a filefish before it gets out of hand. I found the following ones, Matted, radial and tasseled available.

The matted seems like the best one after doing the research but has anyone had any experience?

 

[Jacwil]

I had a matted ff I got from magdelan...it ate plenty of aipts, and we never experienced it being a bad "citizen".

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Thanks, the tasseled ff looks cool but I need function over appearance. I think the matted ff is where I am heading.

 

[jfl14609]

justin dont you still have it i thought it was just out on loan

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Yeah, I am going to look for a matted locally before I order online.

 

[Grenade Glass]

my matted file fish wiped out all of my zoa colonies after eating all the aips in the tank. I'll never use one again.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Hmmmm...but it did wipe out the aiptasia? I can move out all of the zoanthids into my frag tanks until it is aiptasia free.

 

[Jacwil]

justin dont you still have it i thought it was just out on loan

Unfortunately he swam to the big reef in the sky while out on loan.

I hold no ill will whatsoever..it happens and I was compensated.

 

[Grenade Glass]

Hmmmm...but it did wipe out the aiptasia? I can move out all of the zoanthids into my frag tanks until it is aiptasia free.

yes, I had the fish 5 months, the first 4 he only had a taste for aips, once they were scarce/ non-existent he found out how enjoyable eating zoas was. It didnt take him long to wipe out every last one in my tank. So moral of the story is, they can be fine in a reef with zoas, but if they get a taste for them, watch out because they sure can be fair game. If you can easily move them into a frag tank and let him go wild on the aips in your display I dont see how there could be much of a problem!

 

[latinreefer]

Try peppermint shrimp this took care of my aptasias.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Is it just a taste for zoanthids or palys too?

 

[RandyO]

I second the peppermint shrimp.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

won't my file fish eat my peppermint shrimp?

 

[magdelan]

Unfortunately he swam to the big reef in the sky while out on loan.

Awww... I like to think that my guys are all doing well. Thanks for that.

 

[Jacwil]

won't my file fish eat my peppermint shrimp?

I think one or the other..peps or ff. Our ff never ate any corals nor did we see it peck at them, but I can't say the same for pep shrimp. IMO, they are the devil incarnate!!!

 

[Henry Colf]

I wouldn't put a ff in a reef tank. I seen first hand the damage it did in Jeff's tank. We had to literally remove everything from his tank to get it out. It comes down to the luck of the draw. You may get one that doesnt touch corals or you could get one that could destroy your tank. jmo...

 

[cardiffgiant]

I've had really really bad aiptasia before. I used a CBB to eradicate it. They are tough to keep in a reef tank, and mine only lasted about 8 months. I've controlled the aiptasia since then by applying kalk paste (usually 1-2x a month) as part of my regular maintenance.

 

[aguz1126]

Peppermint shrimp always did the trick, they didnt live long but less work involved imo.

 

[RandyO]

Peppermint shrimp are also easy to get rid of if they become a problem. One dose of interceptor and their gone.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Yes, I am going to try 6 peppermint shrimp to see how they handle the issue. If that fails, I will move on to the matted file fish.