Matted Filefish sex?

[Rhygar666]

Hello,

i got some good pictures (at least for me, as i almost never manage to even get a good look at him) of my matted filefish and im interested what sex he is.

same pics on imgur http://imgur.com/a/KByuo.

as i read he got those tiny barbs on its tail side, so is he a male?

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I think it is a male.However that is a guess because if it is still immature,there is no difference.The males as they grow gave more bristles (spinules).I have a Bristletail Filefish too ,but it is not yet sexually mature,so I can't tell by comparing yours to mine.

 

[Rhygar666]

hes really big, compared to the one i saw at stores, so i guess hes adult, only had him for like 4 months tough.
i ask because a friend of mine has one as well and is thinking about downgrading his tank. His has no barbs and i might take his, so i need to 100% about the sex or i dont take the risk.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I don't know about sexing them, but I'd like to know if yours eats aiptasia and if it bothers any of your corals?

I ordered one from LA and it will be delivered on Tuesday. Hoping it eats the aiptasia and not touch the corals. I've heard there can be a bad one but normally they're pretty good around corals. I will be sharing this fish with a buddy, my tank until all aiptasia are gone then going to his place where he has several tanks as he raises frags for sale.

 

[Rhygar666]

I don't know about sexing them, but I'd like to know if yours eats aiptasia and if it bothers any of your corals?

I ordered one from LA and it will be delivered on Tuesday. Hoping it eats the aiptasia and not touch the corals. I've heard there can be a bad one but normally they're pretty good around corals. I will be sharing this fish with a buddy, my tank until all aiptasia are gone then going to his place where he has several tanks as he raises frags for sale.

mine is lazy he reduced aiptasia but never removed them completely from my tank, but then i didnt buy him for that and i dont really care about aiptasia.
Mine doesnt touch corals.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

The only thing I care about aiptasia is I don't want them in my tank.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Duke4life]

The only thing I care about aiptasia is I don't want them in my tank.

Thanks for your reply

Mine hasn't touched coral and has started to take out aiptasia. Never see him in that area during the day but when only blues he's mowing it down.

 

[Duke4life]

Here's Spike

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Thanks Phillip for your report. Spike is a great name LOL

Mine is supposed to ship tonight to be delivered tomorrow, but we are having a very bad blizzard today until tomorrow morning at 9am so I'm thinking they won't be shipping it out tonight :hammer:

 

[droth335]

We have 2 in our tank (bonded pair from DD) and they have decimated the aiptasias but have also snacked a bit on eagle eye zoas - worth the price to me as we have hundreds of the zoas and needed the aiptasia under control.

 

[snorvich]

From Dr. Foster and Smith:

"These fish have been known to spawn in captivity, and males are normally large than the females, having fine bristle-like hairs on each side of their body down the caudal peduncle or base of the tail. "

I have two in two different tanks; neither eats aiptasia.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I was removing an aggressive damsel last week from my DT.A few pieces of LR were moved and a bit of rearrangement occurred.Anyway I uncovered two mammoth Aptasia that my Filefish,could not get at,previously.In 24 hrs. Gone.I should also give partial credit to the Copperband butterfly fish,maybe,too.Both doing their job.

 

[m0nkie]

The only thing I care about aiptasia is I don't want them in my tank.

Thanks for your reply

mine was a "proven" aptasia eater until he got in my tank, which is filled with pods. So he started feasting on pods only.. still haven't seen it touch aptasia.

doesn't touch corals either.. but I tend to over feed a little. His belly is constantly round.