Matted File Fish behavior

Carmen · Apr 30, 2014

I have a 75 gal. tank and am starting to get aiptasia around the tank. I have some stuff I can kill it with. But I'm curious about the Matted File Fish. The copperband butterfly fish is out of the question as my tank is too small but the file fish would be perfect. They are listed at Fosters & Smith as a peaceful, shy fish that don't get much over 3 1/2". F&S say they are reef safe with caution because it can nibble on fleshy lps corals.

I was wondering if anyone here has had these and what their behavior was like. Did they eat your corals? It looks like an interesting fish.

PaulKreider · Apr 30, 2014

I've seen a few threads where these guys eat all the aiptaisia then quickly switch to eating coral. I'd say just get 5 peppermint shrimp.

ghostman · Apr 30, 2014

I've had one for a while, and he does a great job, but doesn't eat all the aiptasia. He likes Rods food and will occasional nibble on zoos. Peppermint shrimp were out of the question for me as my wrasses eat them too quickly.

Carmen · May 1, 2014

Well, I also have wrasse. I would love to have one of these but I take the boring way out and just kill the aiptasia myself. I don't want to put my corals at risk. I can see them eating all the aiptasia and then going after the lps. Wouldn't mind an occasional nip like ghostman's does. But there's no guarantee, unfortunately.

mfinn · May 1, 2014

I had a matted file fish for about a year and a half.
Put it one tank that had aptasias in it and it took 3-4 weeks before he started in on the aptasias, but once he found them, he cleaned them out.
Moved it to another tank that had a majano problem. Again he cleaned them all out.
Moved him to the sump that had aptasias and majanos in and he finished all of those.
I passed him on to another reefer and I assume he is still doing what he does best.

Carmen · May 1, 2014

mfinn said:
I had a matted file fish for about a year and a half.
Put it one tank that had aptasias in it and it took 3-4 weeks before he started in on the aptasias, but once he found them, he cleaned them out.
Moved it to another tank that had a majano problem. Again he cleaned them all out.
Moved him to the sump that had aptasias and majanos in and he finished all of those.
I passed him on to another reefer and I assume he is still doing what he does best.

That's so cool! I'm sure that was a happy fish.

Nuno MagalhÃ£es · May 1, 2014

I have one for about 6 months, he took care of almost all the aiptasias, and also took care of my mini-maxi anemone

But he ignored all the zoos, xenias, and other soft corals. He happily eats flake foods, mysis and artemia

reefsandrotts · May 1, 2014

I just sold mine ate all the aptasia and then my zoos

cpayne015 · May 1, 2014

my file fish cleaned out my aptasia, all my zoads, then went into my xenia. I now learned not to fool with those but have had him over a year and he is quiet the character. I like the guy a lot.

GoReef165 · May 1, 2014

I've had one for about 4 months now. He has really chowed down on my aptasia fields that were growing in the back of my tank. I haven't noticed him bothering any corals or zoos yet but I've heard they can be a problem. I'll be keeping an eye on him but right now I love him!

ambergris caye · May 1, 2014

Mine is eating majanos, but doesn't seem to bother my lps and sps.

davocean · May 1, 2014

Most people have pretty good luck w/ matted files eating aptasia, and then maybe half of those will nip other corals after, but they are easy to catch if they do.
I have a CBB doing great in my tank for years now, but if I didn't or could not have one, a MFF would be next option.

Carmen · May 2, 2014

davocean said:
Most people have pretty good luck w/ matted files eating aptasia, and then maybe half of those will nip other corals after, but they are easy to catch if they do.
I have a CBB doing great in my tank for years now, but if I didn't or could not have one, a MFF would be next option.

Sorry, what is MFF and CBB?

davocean · May 2, 2014

Carmen said:
Sorry, what is MFF and CBB?

MFF, matted file fish, CBB, Copper band butterfly

SUPERSTOCKRACER · May 2, 2014

IN MY 300 GALLON REEF. I picked up about a dozen zoo's and 2 maxima clams with aiptasias on them.ithin 8 weeks I had over 500 aiptasias everywhere.t was horrible.
I put in 6 filefish and within 3 weeks everyone is gone. they haven't touched my zoo's either.
my filefish are eating pellets by spectrum and Mysis shrimp now.my filefish are going on over a year now.

Aquaph8 · May 2, 2014

My file is a really well behaved but he doesnt touch aiptasia either. Amazing and unique fish for sure though.

fishroomlady · May 2, 2014

They are really cool looking fish - have a prehistoric look to them. I kept one for quite a while in my FO and he ate a variety of food and was very peaceful. Obviously, I didn't have coral at that time so I can't speak to that