Aiptasia Eating Filefish

Acreichthys tomentosus

Aiptasia Eating Filefish is also known as the Bristletail Filefish, Matted Leatherjacket, Tomentosus Filefish, or Matted Filefish. In the wild, the Aiptasia Eating Filefish prefers the shallows of seagrass areas. Adding additional camouflage to its already unique colour pattern of mottled green, brown, and tan which can change depending on its surroundings and mood.

These shy fish are rarely aggressive towards other fish except those of their own genus. It is best suited for aquariums 30 gallons or larger that do not contain small invertebrates.

The Aiptasia Eating Filefish is known to eat Aiptasia anemone in the home aquarium, but may also nip at soft and stony corals as well. The diet should include shaved shrimp, squid, scallop, Mysis shrimp, freeze-dried krill soaked in a vitamin supplement, and frozen marine algae. The Aiptasia Eating Filefish should be fed small quantities of food several times per day.

These fish have been known to spawn in captivity, and males are normally larger than females. These fish are easily sexed with males having fine bristle-like hairs on each side of their body down the caudal peduncle or base of the tail.