filefish that will eat aiptasia

[TangHeaven]

Just in case you don't read Joaco's post on aiptasia I thought I would let people know I found the answer to rid your tank of aiptasia. Its a leatherjacket filefish, cleaned my FO tank completely. Now this guy is VERY mellow...I do have him in with my puffer and jelly bean..but my puffer is a sweetheart. Spike (name) is a very slow eatter and very peaceful...so you would have to watch what you put them in with...I had read an article by Julian S and thought anything is worth a try and it worked. The aiptasia started out with a few little ones and I think over night my tank was FULL...I had had problems with it before and had taken the tank completely down and cleaned and started over and it was back in months...so I think this is the answer.... :)

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Learn by experience-preferably other people's

Tami :)

[Larry M]

Do you have a scientific name? A lot of filefish are not very reef safe.

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Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[Joaco]

Tami,
I have an aiptasia link on my webpage, it includes lots of links and pictures, and a lot about ID, predators, FAQs, etc:
http://www.wyx.com/iheo/tank/aiptasia.htm

The info below was taken from Bob Fenner's aiptasia FAQs (the link is on my webpage, see link above)


The Matted Leatherjacket you are talking about is Acreichthys tomentosus
This is a pic of it:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Filefishes/Acreichthys_tomentosus2HIAQ.jpg

Bob Fenner said about it:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I suspect that this monacanthid is not all that it appears to be... it probably does take adventitious bites at soft bodied animals other than Glass Anemones... and probably is not all that hardy in captivity<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hope this helps :)

Joaco

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My webpage (http://www.wyx.com/iheo/tank/aquarium.htm) Updated 3rd July 2000


[This message has been edited by Joaco (edited 07-09-2000).]

[TangHeaven]

The article that I found was by Julian Sprung...and the fish is a acreichthys tomentosus...you do have to be very careful that it is the one that you are getting...but if you have a good book with pictures you can see the difference in the filefish. The one that I'm talking about has a long spike on the top of his head and the fin on his stomach is a triangle shape. They are reef safe. Andre Luty is the one that did the study on this fish. He is very peaceful but drab color, unlike some of the others...

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Learn by experience-preferably other people's

Tami :)