Bristletail Filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus)

[csababubbles]

I have one of these guys for a few months in a 90 fowlr tank. I want to transfer him over to a 45 gallon reef tank that house a pair of bangaiis and a pipefish.

Three questions:

Will they get along?

Will the filefish eat all my corals?

Is the tank large enough? They only get ~3" I have read.

 

[leebca]

I have never kept this particular species. However filefishes in general do eat corals (soft and hard). They are also very lay back type of fishes and would get along best in a quiet community, such as the one you proposed. The size tank should be okay for it.

 

[csababubbles]

do they nibble at them or hardcore eat them where you would def. not put them in a reef tank.

 

[leebca]

Most reports are that they nibble at them; a few have stated they ate them. In the wild, they nibble.

I would repeat something I've said before on this subject. . .Nature doesn't waste energy. Fish do know when another fish or marine lifeform is dying. They pick on it and in the case of corals, they eat it. When some hobbyists claim that a fish that doesn't eat coral, ate their coral, actually they had a dieing coral the fish was just 'recycling.'

 

[small alien]

very interesting theory, Lee.