Valentini Mimic Filefish; Any Experience?

[Mister_Palmer]

I'm curious if anybody has experience with this fish. I've kind of been getting conflicting reports from a LFS about size and reef safety.

I have a pretty mellow 60G reef, with the only real aggressor being a Yellow Tang. Clowns, Watchman, Firefish, Banggai Card, and Pink Anthias being the others.
Everyone gets along fine it seems.

Thoughts or experience on whether it will pick on corals?
Or is it kind of hit or miss like small Angels?

 

[snorvich]

I have never kept this fish. What I hear is that it is not reef safe.

 

[Mister_Palmer]

I've seen it listed as "reef safe" on a few sites, including the lfs that carries it.
But then I've seen threads and sites saying it isn't

 

[Stumped]

I have never kept this fish. What I hear is that it is not reef safe.

+1 to this. If you're really concerned about how reef safe it is, I would definitely pass. It's a file fish so it's going to be very likely it will sample some things.

Also, with regard to LFS/online sites and the idea of reef safe fish, I'd take what they say with a grain of salt. Look at Acreichthys tomentosus and the mixed results people have had with them. Some are model citizens, some devour LPS, softies, zoas, some won't even touch the nems they were put in to control. And remember thats for a file fish that is generally regarded as being reef safe.

 

[snorvich]

+1 to this. If you're really concerned about how reef safe it is, I would definitely pass. It's a file fish so it's going to be very likely it will sample some things.

Also, with regard to LFS/online sites and the idea of reef safe fish, I'd take what they say with a grain of salt. Look at Acreichthys tomentosus and the mixed results people have had with them. Some are model citizens, some devour LPS, softies, zoas, some won't even touch the nems they were put in to control. And remember thats for a file fish that is generally regarded as being reef safe.

Exactly. Results are unpredictable. If you are desirous of this fish, the reef safe issue becomes secondary.

 

[Elysia]

Ask Lisa D about hers. I'm pretty sure she has one, and she is reliable.

 

[Moort82]

I haven't kept one but my friend has. It was ok with corals, softies and a few lps but it did go through cuc.
It was also really peaceful and not bothered by anything really. In fact it spent a while with seahorses and didn't cause a problem.