Acreichthys tomentosus Aiptasia eating Filefish

[Gary Majchrzak]

a lot of these Files in our LFS's nowadays.

Anybody here get one? Howzit workin' out for ya?
Do they eat other pest anemones as well as Aips?

[GMaquarium]

I am still testing them out.

All I can say at this point is aiptaisa is not the only thing they will eat, don't know about other pests.

[superkat]

here's a question...in my 55g aggressive...i've got some nice little communities of aiptaisia i'd like gone....any natural way to get that out, fish wise? Or am i just gonna need to do target practice?

[Gary Majchrzak]

I helped put together a nice little FAQ on Aiptasia here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=803632

this FAQ does need some updating/changes.

[talon4x4]

Tim has one. I was talking to him about it and apparently its working out great!!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...light=filefish

[superkat]

great info, Gary...THANK YOU!

[TimmyNY]

I do have one been in my tank for 2 weeks now. I ve gone from somewhere about 200 Aips to 0 in a little over a week. So far he has ignored all corals and fish in the tank. I have seen him nip at snails so if you have a 300 dollar clam in your tank I would pass. Not agressive by anymeans. very shy took about an hour to get a picture of him he hides very well and changes color like a cameleon..sp? I do not have any shrimpin my tank so cant say if he would bother them but he has shown no intereest in my emeralds or hermits or starfish brittles or brittleworms either for that mater only problem that ive had is his spines got caught in the net when I transfered him from my aclimate bucket to the tank had to cut up the net to get him out. Got a bit exciting there yelling for the wife to find a pair of scissors LOL I am also pretty sure I would have to tear the tank down to get him out

He will eat mysis and bloodworms



If you have any questions send me a PM and Ill try to answeer although I am not an expert by anymeans

Tim

[Gary Majchrzak]

I prefer not to PM reef related questions/discussions in order that we may all learn.

Tim- do you/did you have any Majano or curly-Q anemones in that aquarium?
Any "great" (ie: clownfish host) anemones in there with it?

[TimmyNY]

My clown hosts a torch. No other Anemones in the tank good or bad.

I have put in a Duncan and an Acan since putting him in and he has ignored them

onlyone that bothers them is my scooter blenny. He checks out everrything I put in the tank

Tim

[TimmyNY]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

I prefer not to PM reef related questions/discussions in order that we may all learn.

Probably the best way

Tim

[ReeferCatFish]

Hello everyone!!

I think I can add a little more on this topic. I've had one of these filefish for about two months now, and he's a great fish, but I can not call mine 100% reef safe. I didn't know too much about these fish when my girlfriend noticed one in the display tank at our favorite LFS, and immediately fell in love with him. After inquiring about them, we were told they would be entirely reef safe, and would also help rid the tank a of a few nuisance anemones to boot. We were shown other individual filefish living in other display tanks throughout the store, and we were assured that these fish were not eating any corals in any of the shop's tanks. Well what a great fish, we thought, and so we picked one out, and in the bag he went.

In very short order he found the four or five Aptasia anemones that I knew about in my 135, and probably a couple more I couldn't see. In addition he did eat the one or two Majano anemones I had too. With those snacks now gone, he then decided to mow down a nice patch of Anthalia that I had cultivated from just about three tiny polyps, he polished off my pulsing Xenia that was just starting to establish itself and grow, and he chowed on a brand new hammer frag I had very recently purchased.

On the bright side, he has not bothered my larger more established hammer and frogspawn, nor has he bothered and of my shrooms, gorgonians, colts, or the like. At this point my tank is only stocked with these kinds of hardy softies, so I can't make a claim as to whether he would bother anything else like stony corals. I do have a decent sized BTA with 4" Tomato Clown host, and the filkefish hasn't bothered either of those two. He does not seem to bother any other inverts like crabs or snails, as far as I have seen. I am, of course, free of all nuisance anemones now as well :-)

Other then the few corals he's robbed me of, which I am not happy about, he's really a very cool fish. He's somewhat shy, and will hide, but he cruses around the tank when he thinks no one is watching. For those not aware, such as myself when I got him, these fish have the ability to change their shade at will to match their surroundings. My filefish, Oscar, changes from nearly ghostly white, to almost jet black depending on whether he's out over the white sand, or tucked back in the shadows of the rock stack. He can modify his shade very, very quickly as he swims through different areas of the tank. I had no idea these fish could do that, and I find it very cool to watch.

Otherwise he's a relatively peaceful, easy to keep fish. He greedily accepts frozen Mysis and Brine Shrimp, and although he is not the fastest fish, he is not shy about competing with his tankmates, and he seems to get plenty of his own food with the need to feed him in any special way. All in all we really like our Oscar, and unless he really turns his attention towards all the corals in our tank, I can live with the little bit of destruction he's caused thus far. Others may wish to exercise greater caution if they are concerned with coral loss.

Again, this is just my experience with my fish in my tank. As most of you will agree I'm sure, compatibility is often times an individual thing, and nearly impossible to predict with 100% certainty. I hope that helps!!

-RCF

[Gary Majchrzak]

great post, RCF. Thanks for sharing!

[jfl14609]

Gary where have you seen them locally and what kind of prices are they associated with? Also I know you have done a ton of research have you read anything different then whats been posted

[Gary Majchrzak]

this species has now entered the trade quite regularly through Florida. It became well known in the hobby a little over a year ago when one of the trade magazines did a cover story on them. All LFS's have them on their lists. Expect to pay somewhere between $30- $40 for one depending on LFS pricing.

The posts here seem to go along with all that I know so far: certain LPS and softies are a high risk.

[jfl14609]

This seems like a cool fish especially since it seems to be the only fish that will touch majano. I noticed one of the reef clubs that actually have one they rotate through its members to clean their tanks. I did read it will go for ornamental shrimp though

[Gary Majchrzak]

I believe there are other fishes that will eat Majano

[jfl14609]

and everything else in your tank

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally Posted by jfl14609

and everything else in your tank

along those lines... perhaps yes

Some people are reporting the file will bother Tridacna.

[ReeferCatFish]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

great post, RCF. Thanks for sharing!

No problem!! I'm glad I could offer something productive instead of always asking for help myself ;-)

[jfl14609]

I may get one and find out. Anyone know if marine oasis has one? Has anyone reported issues with any other fish tangs triggers marine betta?

[sg1838]

Unless MO just got one in the last few days, I don't believe they had one as of late Saturday afternoon. I was at CF today, and don't remember seeing one their either, though I have seen them at CF recently.

Since you brought up the Marine Beta, anyone want to comment on it's reef suitability? I read a little bit about it, and from the little I read it seemed like it would be a good reef fish:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...364&pcatid=364

Thoughts?

[superkat]

my marine betta is in my 55g aggressive. don't think they are too good for reef tanks from what i have been told, but I question the source of that information.

[reefdogg1107]

Originally Posted by superkat

my marine betta is in my 55g aggressive. don't think they are too good for reef tanks from what i have been told, but I question the source of that information.

For what it is worth I have had a Marine Betta for almost a year in a mixed reef with no problems. But you know this hobby..... NOTHING IS GAURANTEED! That is why research is priceless

[jfl14609]

I have had my marine beta for about 2 years I think and its been a cool fish although dont add really small shrimp or fish one day I bought a $20 shrimp and a $20 goby and lets say they have never been seen again. but I must admitt when I added the little shrimp I also another shrimp that I thought was a gonner as he was the same size and just noticed him under the rock stack a few days ago so who knows. but he has never caused any serious porblems

[sean obergfell]

Gary,
What are some other fish that will eat Majano? I'm in the need of one.
Thanks..........