Are matted filefish terrifying?

[SDguy]

...because the one I just got is, to all my other fish. All the anthias are huddled in a ball, in a cave. Even the powder blue tang is avoiding that side of the tank. What's the deal? I was worried this slow moving fish would get thrashed by the gang.

[Rybren]

I had one for a while. Everyone else just ignored him and he ignored everyone else.

It cleaned out my aptasia in no time, but then started on the LPS. Luckily, it was easy to catch and remove.

[tbone28]

not mine. he's chill, does his own thing

[snorvich]

Acreichthys tomentosus? I have a small one (2 inches) with no issues. He came in much smaller.

[usatennisfan]

I have a pair of them in my FOWLR and they are super chill about everything. They stick to each other and always shy away from everything else.

[michael_cb_125]

Maybe yours is just evil? ;)

~Michael

[SDguy]

The poor thing is just flying around the tank, trying to get used to the vortechs :lol: Maybe fish recognize the shape as a predatory file/trigger?

They are getting used to him though. Honestly, even if he doesn't touch my majanos, I'm really grad I got him. Such a neat and interesting fish, especially when he rests by holding onto to something with his mouth!

[albano]

..Are matted filefish terrifying?..
????
I had one for a while. Everyone else just ignored him and he ignored everyone else.
...Luckily, it was easy to catch and remove.
+1

not mine. he's chill, does his own thing
+1

Acreichthys tomentosus? I have a small one (2 inches) with no issues.
+1

I have a pair of them ... They stick to each other and always shy away from everything else.
+1

Maybe yours is just evil? ;)

~Michael
+1

Such a neat and interesting fish, especially when she rests by holding onto to something with her mouth!
Reminds me of my EX -GF! :eek:

[SDguy]

Does the filefish's tendency to eat pest anemones depend on how hungry it is? Because I feed a ton of food. Will that make him too full to "do his job"? :D

[SDguy]

BTW, how do you tell a female from a male in this species?

Oh, and here's a pic:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/Fish%20pics%202011/IMG_0299filefish.jpg

[tbone28]

Honestly, even if he doesn't touch my majanos, I'm really grad I got him. Such a neat and interesting fish

Exactly my thoughts when I got mine. I bought one to eat majanos, but mine didn't care for them. Mine went after food voraciously but had staring contests with the majanos. After a long while, I finally saw mine attack a majano. Still, he prefers frozen food but my majanos are slowly disappearing. I guess mine treats majanos as snacks more than a main meal

[snorvich]

Does the filefish's tendency to eat pest anemones depend on how hungry it is? Because I feed a ton of food. Will that make him too full to "do his job"? :D

I do not know if he eats aiptasia/mojanos. I still have some. He eats everything I feed.

[SDguy]

Good to know, guys, thank you.

[clowntriggerfis]

I dont know about matted specificly but all the file fish I have looked at eat coral.

[SDguy]

I don't know about matted specifically but all the file fish I have looked at eat coral.

These guys are specifically tauted to eat aiptasia, and maybe majanos, but leave most corals alone. Considering I tried a saddleback butterfly in my reef, I'd say I'm adventurous enough to give this guy a go :)

[snorvich]

I dont know about matted specificly but all the file fish I have looked at eat coral.

Looking at your other thread, the 3 dwarf angels are not reef safe, but the other fish should be.

[clowntriggerfis]

Looking at your other thread, the 3 dwarf angels are not reef safe, but the other fish should be.

I am aware of that I was just letting him know.

[namxas]

We never had any problems with the fish. I never saw them eat appies, but they did indeed disappear after I added the pair. I do think that the more food they get, the less they eat appies tho.

As for disposition, we never had any issues and they lived with a tank full of small scorps. That being said, someone over on the aggro forum just had to pull one cuz it became a fin nipper on his Inimicus.

[SDguy]

I guess the newness wore off. Everyone swims around together like a big happy family again :) Now let's just hope the majanos start to disappear!

[Barracuda]

Make sure you keep an eye on him, since they do like to nip / steal food from Gorgonians.

I had to remove a small < 1" one from my Azoo tank. It spent the majority of its time hanging in the Gorgs and would steal the cyclopeeze from the larger polyped Gorgs.

[Daniel Reef]

Peter, how is your matted filefish doing? Does he nip at your SPS or LPS?

[reefjunkie42]

mine used to eat my leathers in the back.

[Woogiekids]

Peter, it took mine a few weeks to start munching on the aiptasia. Bow I just rotate him between tanks and he demolishes them.

[SDguy]

I actually bought two... I'm bretty sure they are male/female. The female is a really picky eater, and was REALLY skinny at the store, but looks to slowly be getting better in the tank. I haven't noticed either eating any majanos yet. Neither touches any of my corals.

[Daniel Reef]

Thanks Peter for the update. Please keep us updated on your matted FF pair. I'm interested in this fish and wanted to know how reef safe it is. So far I have heard mixed reviews.

[sanchoy]

I have 2, They chase eachother around once in awhile, but never dared to size up to any other fish. They picked at my Acans though.. but would not dare to go against other fish.

[SDguy]

I have 2, They chase eachother around once in awhile, but never dared to size up to any other fish. They picked at my Acans though.. but would not dare to go against other fish.

That actually makes me more hopeful that I have a pair, since they never show any aggression at all to each other, and I would think the big fat one would kick the crap out of the skinny picky eater if it wanted to :)

[SDguy]

So I took the time to really search carefully throughout the tank. Having a hard time finding majanos! :) The few I can find are sucked into cracks too small I think for the filefish's mouth to get to. I wonder if the majanos will live like that, or try to move, and then get eaten. Either way, I'm extremely happy with the results. My tank was getting pretty badly infested.

[Daniel Reef]

Great news!!

[Vlado4x4]

Are Matted Filefish any threat to small shrimp ? I have a couple of them, different species.

[SDguy]

I personally don't have any shrimp in my tank.

[FishAddict87]

I was thinking the same thing. I have manajos spreading on my rocks right now and I was already eyeing this fish for the past few months but dont want to risk my cleaner and camel shrimp...the uniqueness of this fish makes me so attracted to it i think

[SDguy]

BTW, how do you tell a female from a male in this species?

Oh, and here's a pic:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/Fish%20pics%202011/IMG_0299filefish.jpg

Just make sure you get the right kind. FYI this picture ^^^ is of a fanbelly filefish, not a matted filefish :o

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2101973&highlight=fanbelly

[Vlado4x4]

Could anyone tell me if this is a true matted filefish ?
Bought him about 3 weeks ago, and refuses to eat aiptasia. I have a whole bunch of them.
He nips at the rock like trying to get copepods or something like that, but no aiptasia

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/2800/img2012020900207.jpg

[Monkeyfish]

Looks like one to me.

[Vlado4x4]

Is it normal like the CBB that one can and other dosen't ? Or the matted filefish is a must that all eat aiptasia ?

[SDguy]

Is it normal like the CBB that one can and other dosen't ? Or the matted filefish is a must that all eat aiptasia ?

IME it takes a little time, and they are also pretty ninja about it... I can't recall seeing mine actually eating any majanos, but they still just disappeared...

[Vlado4x4]

And this happened with any size of majanos or aiptasia ? Cause i have all sort of sizes. Last week i did a major killing with aiptasia x from red sea, but i still can't reach some of the big ones