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Marc gave me this guy awhile back and said the description was that it was a Matted Filefish, and that it as an aiptasia eater, and not reef safe. I've had it in QT for quite awhile now, he eats mysis and I placed a rock in there with aiptasia which he also ate. So now I've moved him into a small tank of soft coral, and aiptasia to see what he does. He seems to be pecking at small crustaceans, and aiptasia. He hasnt actually eaten an aiptasia yet in the new tank but he is picking so I'm hopeful.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

He's awesome! There's just something about ugly fish

He is the strangest thing, mostly he just hovers. He doesnt use his tail for locomotion. He has a very long soft Dorsal and Anal fin which flutter, and his pectoral fins move him around. his spiny dorsal fin is modified in some fashion for camoflage I think, and his pelvic fins are fused. His eyes are like a chameleon. He doesnt have gills that open and close just tiny openings like a reptile. I call him Grasshopper, and I do this cause he is ugly.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

I saw this guy in person and I think he's uglier than these pictures show. Still pretty neat though.

I've gotten a bit more info on this guy. Apparently there are some people that have successfully bred them in captivity. Marine Ornamental Fish & Invert Breeders :: View topic - Acreichthys tomentosus (Filefish Breeding). Also the identification of sex is possible, my fish is a male. Frank Marini has indicated that is a good fish and usually very well behaved, and has confirmed that is in fact an aiptasia eater.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

Update: this fish is an aiptasia pig. In the period time since I started this discussion he has eaten all of the aiptasia in my 25g soft coral tank, and there was quite a bit. Still not sure though if I can consider him reef safe. I'd like to move him to my lagoon tank, but I'm afraid that he might decimate my pod and worm population.

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(' )< David >( ')

"The world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity" Scott Stapp, Creed

[quote][this fish is an aiptasia pig/QUOTE]

It would be nice to find another fish that ate these pests that was reef safe.The copperband has so many drawbacks.

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If he ends reef safe you canrent him out. Put me on thelist.

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