Jade 'aptasia eating' file fish

[jez86uk]

Hi all,

Just after peoples opinions on the jade file fish. About a month ago i thought i had elimanted a major aptasia issue in my tank. I was naive and thought it was a coral and didnt realsie the danger of it till i started to lose my fish

Anyway long story short a few bits of aptasia have started to re-appear and without having to go to the expense of replacing all my live rock i am trying to resolve the issue before it gets out of control again. I ahve tried peppermint shrimp who has shown no interest, and am now considering the jade file fish.

At the moment i have a fish only setup but would like to progress to reef in the future and here is where my dilemma is as i have read mixed opinions on this fish some saying reef safe others not.

What has been your experience with this fish?
Thanks

50 gallon tank
yellow tang
2 clowns
peusdochromi
scooter blenny
peppermint shrimp

 

[DaveK]

I have never owned that species of file fish, so I can't tell you anything from first had experience. However, I have owned other species of them, and because they are not fast active swimmers, I think they will be way outclassed by most of the other fish you have in the system.

I wouldn't say don't try one, but do have an alternative plan just in case the fish doesn't work out.

 

[cheeks69]

I ahve tried peppermint shrimp who has shown no interest.

How long has it been since you added the shrimp to your tank ? How much do you usually feed your fish ?
It can take time for your peppermint shrimp to find the aiptasia and if you have food that goes uneaten they'll prefer that over the aiptasia.

 

[jski711]

I've got one of these guys. Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Matted Filefish he finally ate my aiptasia but he also started eating my chalices. he nibbles on sps now and again with no major damage but zoas are also on the menu. HTH with your decision.

 

[jez86uk]

Shrimp has been in the tank for over a month now, feed frozen food once a day usually two cubes. My local LFS recommended throwing out my live rock and replacing i all but this is a big expense that i cannot afford.

 

[rdwilson91]

I had one that never touched any of my corals. He devoured aiptasia and decimated my pod population, and died mysteriously after about six months. Great fish.

 

[Eric]

I can't imagine a shop would tell you to toss your rock and replace, that's terrible advice and obviously the person is a moron or looking to take your $$$ no reason to go to that extreme.

PaulB has a good cure
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/diy/56499-electrocuting-mojanos-4.html

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/marine-algae-plants/63106-killing-aiptasia-electricity.html

I believe he sells these if you contact him.

 

[Eric]

If you get to the point of tossing the rock just dry it out and kill everything on it and toss it back in the tank and seed with a few pounds of live, I can't imagine going to this extreme but there is no reason you should ever toss your rock over a pest.

 

[LionfishLair]

My bristletails ate the appies over time and also nipped at my macro and some palys.

 

[foxsavage]

I've had several filefish, they always eat aptasia, they usually eat some corals too. Mine mostly ate LPS, they loved the hammer and frogspawn. As soon as the filefish is gone the aptasia will come back though. I think Bergia Nudibranch's work better because they completely remove it but they do take a lot longer than a filefish. The filefish will likely eat all of the aptasia within a few days, the nudibranch's will probably take longer than it took to grow to get it all.

 

[LionfishLair]

Mine took a couple of months to eat the appies because they were monster appies. At first it didn't look like they were touching them, then you could see the appies looking haggard like they were being picked on... then they were gone. Except one, I have no idea why they left the one.

They are a very nervous fish, though. Mine probably had brain damage from jumping and smacking himself on the lid so often.

Odd looking fish...

 

[cheeks69]

Outstanding photo LionfishLair

 

[SeaSiren]

I have one of these guys...I just got him last Tuesday and I was hoping he would make fast work of my poor 14g biocube that is over run with apitasia...I have used apitasia killer and they just keep coming back the more I kill them the more come back like weeds!! Anyway I have been watching this strange character that I have nicknamed "Swamp Thing" for his peculiar looks! He seems to be eating the apitasia one at a time and prefers to eat my frozen mysis that I feed my clowns in the tank...at this rate i will have a million apitasia in the tank...I am hoping now that he has throughly investigated and looked at everything in the tank that he will begin devouring these pesky apitasia we will see! I have coral frags and he hasn't bothered any really he pecked once at my neon green star polyp but he didn't eat it!