I'm thinking these are not the same species...

SDguy

SDguy

Fish heads unite!
Premium Member
I bought both of these as matted filefish. One was always very fat, a HUGE eater...gets a massive stomach. The other is very timid, doesn't eat much... is very picky. They always change colors like crazy, so I never paid much attention to the prettier patterns and colors of the larger one. I just thought one was more adapted to captive life than the other. But now, after they have both settled in, I'm thinking they aren't the same species even, based on the pelvic fin which I just noticed today :o . Thoughts?

IMG_0528-1.jpg


IMG_0526-1.jpg
 
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:lol: Looking at the pictures I feel like a tool for even asking the question :lol:
 
That was going to be my guess as well. Yeah, these guys get pretty big. Cool-looking fish, though.
 
Well, other than the size, I think I'm safe...

Biology Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits estuaries and on coastal and offshore reefs (Ref. 9563); also on weed bottoms and on trawling grounds. Found on muddy or silty substrates (Ref. 48637). Is an omnivore which feeds mainly on seagrass, algae, gammarid amphipods and caridean shrimps as well as on bryozoans, hydroids, ascidians, copepods, caprellid amphipods and tanaidaceans (Ref. 13426).
 
How are they making out in your tank? I had one that looked very much like second picture. It cleaned the tank of dozens of aptasia in a matter of weeks then moved on to the LPS - it had to go.
 
They actually both ate every aptasia, and more importantly, the hundreds of majanos I had.
 
Wow, that is an amazing looking file and a great pic. Its really a shame that they get so big, I imagine they could be quite destructive at that size.
 
I should have known something was fishy when he bit my finger while feeding him the second day he was in the tank :rolleyes:

At least he'll be easy to catch when the time comes... just offer him my finger and a net :lol:
 
I notice you list an orange tail file in your sig. How is he in your tank? I've always loved filefish...like smaller, less aggressive triggers :)
 
Hardy har har :p

In my defense, they looked the same at the LFS when I bought them...same mottled pattern. And they both have little "hairs" on their skin, in the same pattern, no less! It's just the matted was REALLY skinny...you could literally see his skeleton, so I attributed the differences to weight.

Clearly if I was buying anthias or butterflyfish, this would not have happened :lol:
 
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"I bought both of these as matted filefish"

Did they claim they were the same species ? If not "mated pair" could be true .. who knows what happens after the light go out :) Hybrid fish come from somewhere !
 
the sex difference for the matted filefish, for the case you want to get a pair: the males have a velcro-like bristled area on their tail, right before the fin. its best visible when looking up to the fish or when looking front to back as the bristles are clear and not easily seen, but when you have both sexes you will see the difference.

they were first bred in germany, 2008! larvae are said to not be very picky in regards of food. i currently have 2 of them, their color changing ability is amazing: they can change from plain green to gray marbled or pale within seconds. mine eventually pick at aiptasia but they love frozen mysis. im hoping that they might pair up!

do you have more pics of yours? great shots btw!

greetings
 
burnah said:
the sex difference for the matted filefish, for the case you want to get a pair: the males have a velcro-like bristled area on their tail, right before the fin. its best visible when looking up to the fish or when looking front to back as the bristles are clear and not easily seen, but when you have both sexes you will see the difference.

they were first bred in germany, 2008! larvae are said to not be very picky in regards of food. i currently have 2 of them, their color changing ability is amazing: they can change from plain green to gray marbled or pale within seconds. mine eventually pick at aiptasia but they love frozen mysis. im hoping that they might pair up!

do you have more pics of yours? great shots btw!

Excellent information. Nice pics Peter!

greetings
Click to expand...
 
burnah said:
the sex difference for the matted filefish, for the case you want to get a pair: the males have a velcro-like bristled area on their tail, right before the fin. its best visible when looking up to the fish or when looking front to back as the bristles are clear and not easily seen, but when you have both sexes you will see the difference.

they were first bred in germany, 2008! larvae are said to not be very picky in regards of food. i currently have 2 of them, their color changing ability is amazing: they can change from plain green to gray marbled or pale within seconds. mine eventually pick at aiptasia but they love frozen mysis. im hoping that they might pair up!

do you have more pics of yours? great shots btw!

greetings
Click to expand...

I'm thinking mine is a female. I also think the fanbelly is a female, based on the size of he belly...
 
Really cool fish. Do they crunch on corals or inverts other than aiptasia? Aggression level?
 
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