Orangespotted Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris)

[Ace25]

I picked up a pair of orangespotted filefish from my LFS. They had just arrived and were still acclimating in containers when I grabbed them. I drove home and floated them for 15 minutes, then drip acclimated them in a bucket for 45 minutes then released into my tank. They have been eating non stop when the lights are on, at night they sleep in the corals. Now I have to work on weening them onto prepared foods by putting food on dead acro skeletons (which I have plenty of), but in the mean time I think they have a high chance of survival in my tank since there is plenty of food for them. They were a little skinny when I put them in the tank so we will see how quickly they fatten up. Both appear to be males (have black with white dots on the bottom fin).

More info from Bluezoo about them. Orangespotted Filefish, Harlequin Filefish - Oxymonacanthus longirostris

[video=youtube;3UOv85cAr1s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UOv85cAr1s[/video] [video=youtube;fCGiGNdRh4A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCGiGNdRh4A[/video]

 

[k2parkstar]

Those are awesome! I love these fish, good luck training them to eat prepared food!

 

[wysiwyg]

wow congrats they look amazing

 

[Young Frankenstein]

When I first seen this thread I thought “ What newbie got this fish” read the thread and knowing this fish eat only SPS, wondering……………. Then I see its Ace25 J Against all odds !!!! Ace beautiful fish and fish tank, good work.

 

[BarbH]

Beautiful fish, good luck with training them to eat prepared foods.

 

[Ace25]

Thanks! It is going to be a challenge getting them weened. So far they pay no attention to any food in the water column and didn't try picking at formula1 smashed onto an acro skeleton, but it is only day 1 and I know this is not a quick and easy process. I am ready and willing to take on the challenge.

I have certainly made my share of bad/impulse purchases over the years, but I like to think I have moved beyond that now. I have read up on these fish for a couple years and I made sure my tank had a suitable food source for them before I bought them. The purchase itself was certainly "impulse" because I didn't go out looking for these fish, but I have been eyeing them for months on Divers Den and was prepared. If it wasn't for the fact they had just arrived at my LFS and were still acclimating I probably wouldn't have bought them because I know how delicate they are and even a week on a LFS holding tank without acropora to feed on could easily push them past the point of no return. So far they have been perfect as far as their looks and behavior and the fact they are eating constantly and pooping makes me think they are getting a good amount of food.

Most of the acropora in my tank now came from a fellow reefer who was trimming his corals and was going to toss/kill the cuttings because they are just "wild acros" and in his tank they were actually all browned out. I got them to color back up in my tank and think they look nice (actually took a year for them to color back up). Since they were free corals that were going to be tossed anyway I am happy that I saved them and they are able to be useful as a food source, although if the acros could speak today I am sure they would have some stern words for me about my recent choice of fish. LOL.

 

[revsgirl]

Awesome fish!! Congrats! :clap2:

 

[Ace25]

I got them eating frozen food and pellets already! I am so excited, took way less time and work than I planned on. They are SUPER FAT and happy already and so cool to see them turn camouflage at night and sleep in the branches of my SPS corals.

[video=youtube;te0P75J6518]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te0P75J6518[/video]

 

[k2parkstar]

Wow, that was fast! Congrats on two happy looking fish! Maybe I'll be able to get a pair in future. So awesome!

 

[Ace25]

If you do decide on a pair just make sure to have some acropora for them to munch on while you get them trained to eat prepared foods. I really think that was key to my success since the first week all they ate was coral and didn't even look at the food, today as soon as food is added they go right to hunting for it so it seems they are preferring the prepared foods over my corals now. Since you have a club in your area hopefully it is fairly easy to find someone trimming/dumping some wild/brown acropora if you don't have any. Another easy SPS food source they seem to like, and is a weed for us, is poccilipora.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Cool fish! I saw a pair on divers den, I might get some. How many times a day do you feed them? I usually do some frozen once a day, I do have a tank to wean them in, and no I am not a newb, lol (Young Frankenstein )

 

[Ace25]

3 times a day I feed a mixture of frozen food, but I did that before I got these fish because I have leopard wrasses that also need multiple feedings a day. Pellets, a pinch about 5 times a day, although they can't fit the larger pellets in their mouths (although they try). They really seem to enjoy the smaller spectrum pellets (small fish formula, .5mm).

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I could manage twice a day, a small price to pay for some cool fish

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Great job with the OSF!!! I do not think I could ever muster up the courage to try to keep one let alone 2. They are looking great!!!

 

[Ace25]

Thanks! Here is a video of them eating pellets. You can also see how fat their bellies are.

[video=youtube;7WrSWjDCDnE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WrSWjDCDnE[/video]