Would a filefish be pushing it?

Jake_the_reefer

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So my 20g reef is having a pretty annoying aiptasia problem. And a guy near me has an aiptasia eating filefish that could help me with my issue. However would a 20g tank be too small for the guy?

20191216_110104.jpg
 
So my 20g reef is having a pretty annoying aiptasia problem. And a guy near me has an aiptasia eating filefish that could help me with my issue. However would a 20g tank be too small for the guy?

20191216_110104.jpg
I think filefish need at least 30 gallons. But if you can keep the filefish until aiptasia problem is gone, then give it back to someone. If not, you can try having some peppermint shrimps to destroy aiptasia.
 
I think filefish need at least 30 gallons. But if you can keep the filefish until aiptasia problem is gone, then give it back to someone. If not, you can try having some peppermint shrimps to destroy aiptasia.
Would peppermint shrimp have any issues with its tank mates
 
No, very peaceful shrimps, they’re also beautiful to watch.
 
+1 on being fine. Filefish are excellent tank mates (most cases) I have pairs in both my tanks and they are model citizens.

Re: eating aiptasia, don't expect instant miracles. They are a shy fish, eat at night and both my pairs took over a week to notice aiptasia. Once they did - it vanished.
 
I tried a filefish. Boy did he love my euphyllia corals. He did put a nice dent in the aiptasia before he was booted for euphyllia abuse.
 
Call Pacific East Aquaculture. I ordered a captive raised matted filefish from him and it arrived the size of a dime. I kid you not. It was too small for my 210 gallon tank due to flow so I threw together a quick 5 gallon nano for it to live in for about 2 months - maybe less. Anyway that let me move in a few small pieces of rubble with the pest on it to see if it would eat it. It did. Once I felt it was able to manage the flow a bit better I moved it into the main display. Perfect. It is pretty cool just watching it float around yet be able to dart down and get the spores.

Now it is between a quarter and fifty cent piece :) Growing faster now. Also once it clears everything out if you wanted to get rid of it - a 20 gallon will be a lot easier. Find its sleeping spot and net it - that simple. Captive raised was a bit more at 80 bucks or so - but I like Dr. Mac and team so worth it to me.
 
I've had a few over the years. I find that once they polish off the aiptasia, they'll move on to other tasty morsels like zoanthids and duncans. I've always had to rehome them.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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