FOTM March 2013

Large image: http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa358/rcmcwaters3/IMG_3083_zps7997b266.jpg


Family: Monacanthidae

Common Names: The Matted Filefish is also known as the Bristletail Filefish, Matted Leatherjacket, Tomentosus Filefish, or Aiptasia Eating Filefish

Reef Safe: Caution Advised

Maximum Fish Size: 4 ½ inches

Min Tank Size: 30 gallons

Water conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025

Attitude: Peaceful except with similar species unless matted

Origin: Indonesia

Personal Observations / story:

This FOTM is on one of my new favorite aquarium addition, the Aiptasia eating file fish. I got this little guy from the World Wide Coral Store in Orlando FL. I have been looking for one for awhile but was unable to find one. I was headed to Orlando for the sprint unlimited cup and just so happened that they had one. I bought him on the Monday before I went and had them hold him until I got there. So Sunday on the way home we stopped by and got the little guy. Some things I did look for that I do with al my fish I buy from any store, make sure he is eating, make sure he is responsive to fish and human movement, and make sure he looks free or external parasites and marks. Needless to say that he met the criteria and I observed him for well over 30+ minutes with no gripes. After a 3.5 hour drive home on the interstate he did real well with the acclimation. I have a small tank and just dripped for about an hour made sure that he accepted some frozen food and turned the lights off and put him in. for the first few hours I didn’t even see him but felt sure that he was fine. The next day I did get to see him, hiding behind the rocks lol. After a few days of looking at the neat little fish he really started to come out and show off. I felt like he would not get used to the flow of the tank and the some what aggressive wrasses but I was wrong. He holds his own and even get a bit territorial if they get in his part of the rocks. SO after reading all this everyone wants to know does it really eat aiptasia? Well after a few weeks I can confirm that he indeed does ;D he really like the little ones but picks at the big one slowly eating them. Not super fast at getting rid of them all but hey if it takes 10 years than that’s fine.

All in all this fish IMO is really a good addition to any reef tank as well as FOWLR tank. Does it eat some corals, probably but I have not seen him eat any of my soft ones. As far as care it is like any fish make sure it is healthy when you get it and watch to make sure that it can adjust. Also be prepared for the fish not to work out and have a back up plan.

Any question please feel free to ask and I will post the answers as fast as I can.

 

Very nice write up rc_mcwaters3.

They are one of the odd balls of the hobby. I am glad he is going after the aiptasia for you.

 

lol yep definatly awinner for me. can anyone see the pic?

 

Yup, nice pic. Good write up too. May have to keep this guy in my back pocket if i ever get Aip. ;D

 

nice write up. I like mine as well. It has quite a personality. Interestingly, mine will eat any aiptasia that shows up on my glass but doesn't seem to go after the aiptasia on the rocks. However, he will go after the kenya trees on the rocks which are a bigger problem in my tank than the aiptasia.

 

Great write up mc! I had one of these in my tank before my biopellet crash when it was a fish only. Very hardy and interesting fish. I didn't have aptasia but thought he was cool looking with the horn and such - kind of prehistoric looking imo......he was very peaceful with all my other fish and ate a wide variety of food. Great choice for FOTM and great job on the write up

 

yes the horn is deffinatly cool but it makes it interesting to get him in and out of a net lol.

yea min definatly eats the smallerones off the glass before he eats the one on the rock but he is really active in the tank all day so he may eat more than what I see.

 

Cool write up! One of my LFS has 4 or 5 in stock

 

thats really rare down here to have that many of them in one place lol. sounds likr you need to get one ;D

 

just an update on this fish, 5 months have passed and he is doing great. Real hardy and fairly accepting of pellets, nori (only if it is soaked in garlic), and smaller frozen food.

Just make note he loves the small Aiptasia but wont eat the real big ones. He also likes to nibble at small snails.