Harlequin File Fish/Orange spotted file fish

[funkpolice]

Hi,
I just got home from a reef club meeting where one of the members gave a presentation on breeding and raising harlequin file fish. He's kept (I think) 12 adults for a year now, even training them onto frozen/flake food. In the wild they feed exclusively on acropora. Apparently he is the one of the first to get them to breed in captivity, and the first to successfully raise the offspring. As of now he as one that is 4 months old and eating flake food. It was pretty interesting.
bill

[seafansar]

I think I read his thread on MOFIB. It's amazing! He did go through a lot of trial and error though. A lot of the file fish died on him, but it's awesome that he has a breeding pair now! And he posted a video of the file fish and his clowns breeding at the same time! It's awesome!

[funkpolice]

yeah thats him.

[ReefLady]

Wow, nice meeting to be able to attend. What a great success that is.

[cheeks69]

That is very cool but my question is, will prepared foods provide what they need to survive long term in captivity ? With such specific dietary needs I don't know if it can.

[seafansar]

I think he's convinced that they die in aquariums because it's hard to get them to start eating and don't get fed enough times a day; not what you feed them. Some of the fish wouldn't even touch the acros he offered them, but would eat frozen food. He related them to seahorses that have very short digestive systems and need eat through out the day, because they don't retain any food for that long. It seems like they do fine without the acros, cause he has some that look fat and healthy and are breeding. But maybe they will have problems down the road.

[cheeks69]

I think he's convinced that they die in aquariums because it's hard to get them to start eating and don't get fed enough times a day; not what you feed them.

Maybe this is the case with captive bred but AFAIK not wild caught.

[seafansar]

He was referring to wild caught when he said that. He didn't have any successful spawns at that point. Here's the thread if you want to read through it. It's very long, but worth it.
Marine Ornamental Fish & Invert Breeders Association :: View topic - Oxymonacanthus longirostris - BREEDING LOG (Survival log)
I think it's cool if he can start selling tank bred ones, but they they should only go to those that can dedicate the time and effort. I think the wild ones should be left in the ocean though. He figured out a way to get them eating prepared foods, but still lost a bunch to starvation. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

[funkpolice]

He still says this fish is by no means for a beginner. He has successfully switched wild caught onto a prepared food, but they need to eat a lot.
bill

[surfzone]

I think it's cool if he can start selling tank bred ones, but they they should only go to those that can dedicate the time and effort. I think the wild ones should be left in the ocean though. He figured out a way to get them eating prepared foods, but still lost a bunch to starvation. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

The thing about him is that he is land locked in chicago and far far far away from the ocean. i know in my endevers with mandarins i had a much higher andlonger servival of larva when they were fed an aray of wild plankton where as if i fed them rotifers. food size is a major issue with fish larva if something is too big then they arn't going to eat it but even if it is the right size they may still turn their primitive mouths in the other direction. it seems to me from his endevers that this species may take to the rotifers, but getting the right neutrition for them is not found in rotifers alone.

[mpedersen]

Originally Posted by seafansar

He figured out a way to get them eating prepared foods, but still lost a bunch to starvation. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

Actually, I really can't say I've lost any to "starvation" within my care Gotta get the record set straight. This is a fish that much like Dragonnettes and other types of fish, suffers a lot long before it ever gets to YOU.

First fish lost was paper thin and died within 2 days of purchase. It was a fish that ordinarily would've never been a fish I purchased. Stavation in the chain of custody LONG before it ever got to me.

2nd loss was a fish that tied at 9 days after it had started eating. Cause unknown.

3rd fish, another fish that had started feeding. Unfortunately, during the critical first couple weeks, I was called out of town on business, and when I returned,the fish was in poor shape. This *might* be considered starvation, but I consider it improper care.

The 4th and 5th losses were both fish that had already been in captivity over a month before they came to me, and died due to a problem with my QT tank at the time. I never nailed down what the problem was, but any fish put in the QT tank became stressed and went off food..taken out and into a reef, they turned back to normal. Had there not been a problem in the QT tank, those two probably should still be here today.

Still, that's 5 losses out of 17 attempts...that's a 70% success rate.

As far as long term sustainability sans live coral - it's proven at this point, at least in my opinion. There are several aquarists I'm aware of who've fed nothing but prepared foods and hand them live several years. I also firmly believe that you don't get fish to spawn when they're not getting the proper nutrition and care either...spawning is typically a sign that "all is right" with the fish, that you have given them everything they need to be happy and healthy and exhibit the full range of natural behaviors in captivity.

All of that said, still very much an EXPERT ONLY species. See the March/April '09 issue of CORAL for more info

[mps9506]

Originally Posted by mpedersen

All of that said, still very much an EXPERT ONLY species. See the March/April '09 issue of CORAL for more info

argh.. I guess I need to resubscribe

[Dentoid]

Originally Posted by mpedersen

All of that said, still very much an EXPERT ONLY species. See the March/April '09 issue of CORAL for more info

I've seen your work over at MOFIB. Impressive!

[jski711]

Hey Matt. I was going to clear some of that up for ya but you beat me to it!!! Glad to see you over hear!!!