Orange Spotted Filefish. Anyone own one?

cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Ya, they only get about 4".
How big is your tank? It's very rare to come across one that is already taking a variety of prepared foods... honestly, I would get them both. You may never have another opportunity.
You guys are a lot calmer over here in regards to such things. But there is indeed a lot of controversy in keeping these guys and a lot of people will come down hard. If these weren't eating prepared I would have recommended you pass on them, do some research and then decide after a month or so and after you gathered all the supplies needed to train. But these guys are over that hump and already eating 3 varieties of frozen food and look good (pics are mandatory BTW) so I have no problem in saying someone such as yourself, to give them a whirl...
If anyone else sees these guys in the store that are NOT taking prepared, pass them by. I prepared for a long time for them. I had colonies of SPS, frag plugs I switched in and out, water changes daily..... it wasn't easy.
I don't know if I consider them expert level only.... what is an expert? That label I reserve for only a few in a certain area. Definitely I think one should be advanced in the hobby and have skills in care delivery, observation, education and resources.
Look for some stuff written by "Umm, fish?" as well. Very nice approachable guy.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Thanks for all the info.
It's in a 14G for now, but we are setting up a 40G Fish Only and a 55G refugium so if I do the pair, they'll go in one of these two tanks. Even if I don't do the pair, I may move this one later on.
I had been planning for one that wasn't accepting frozen foods and my husband was not thrilled about the idea if fragging some of the large common SPS colonies. I'm so glad (and lucky) that I came across these guys that are already eating prepared foods.
So far it has not even went near the corals or clam. Beautiful fish. Now I have to convince my husband to let me have the other one.

I do think they're a difficult fish for someone new to the hobby or if they're not eating prepared foods. Researching these guys wasn't easy, I basically got verbally assaulted by two local forums for even inquiring about them a few months back. It's sad when a mod gets yelled at, one of the many reasons why I love this forum.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member

Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3221874
I do think they're a difficult fish for someone new to the hobby or if they're not eating prepared foods. Researching these guys wasn't easy, I basically got verbally assaulted by two local forums for even inquiring about them a few months back. It's sad when a mod gets yelled at, one of the many reasons why I love this forum.
This is one of the reasons it's so hard to find info. I was hesitant about starting threads on other forums. Everyone who is afraid is another source of data lost.
I get their point, and can appreciate their passion, but we are at the beginning stages of untangling some of the mysteries with these guys. People have to stop thinking since they have kept them successfully, they should be the only ones privileged to try.
So, if someone is interested in these guys fresh out of the gate, I really encourage you to evaluate your skill level. You should not have to come on here and ask questions like
"How do I do a freshwater dip?"
"My pH is 7.8 in the morning, how do I bring it up?"
"Help, high nitrates!"
and certainly not...... "Is my tank cycled?" :)
If you've never dealt with these issues before, you need more experience.
If you think you have the tank environment "under control", also evaluate the amount of time you have available and your level of patience. If you don't have patience... skip these fish. If you don't have the time for daily siphoning, food prep, water quality monitoring, water changes and stretches of quiet observation... skip these fish.
Study online photos, learn to recognize what is thin and what is not. It's important to pass up any unhealthy looking fish, so you'll need to become familiar with what looks healthy and what doesn't.
Look for journal articles like THIS and read accounts of peoples experiences in online articles and printed magazines and books. Look in their references for even more sources of information for you to go find. Utilize your library. Read everything on every forum about others experiences. Remember, printed material can be already "outdated" by the time they are live. There could already be something more current or another hurdle conquered.. so look for those current posts.
Make sure you can find, and can afford to obtain, all the equipment needed for converting. You WILL have to provide them with live SPS if you are honestly giving it your best shot. Can you do that for months on end? No?... skip these fish.
You also need to have a back up plan. What if they never convert? That fish needs to go into a large SPS tank. Locate someone who will take them BEFORE you buy. If they start to get thin, you need to give them up.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3221910
This is one of the reasons it's so hard to find info. I was hesitant about starting threads on other forums. Everyone who is afraid is another source of data lost.
I get their point, and can appreciate their passion, but we are at the beginning stages of untangling some of the mysteries with these guys. People have to stop thinking since they have kept them successfully, they should be the only ones privileged to try.
So, if someone is interested in these guys fresh out of the gate, I really encourage you to evaluate your skill level. You should not have to come on here and ask questions like
"How do I do a freshwater dip?"
"My pH is 7.8 in the morning, how do I bring it up?"
"Help, high nitrates!"
and certainly not...... "Is my tank cycled?" :)
If you've never dealt with these issues before, you need more experience.
If you think you have the tank environment "under control", also evaluate the amount of time you have available and your level of patience. If you don't have patience... skip these fish. If you don't have the time for daily siphoning, food prep, water quality monitoring, water changes and stretches of quiet observation... skip these fish.
Study online photos, learn to recognize what is thin and what is not. It's important to pass up any unhealthy looking fish, so you'll need to become familiar with what looks healthy and what doesn't.
Look for journal articles like THIS and read accounts of peoples experiences in online articles and printed magazines and books. Look in their references for even more sources of information for you to go find. Utilize your library. Read everything on every forum about others experiences. Remember, printed material can be already "outdated" by the time they are live. There could already be something more current or another hurdle conquered.. so look for those current posts.
Make sure you can find, and can afford to obtain, all the equipment needed for converting. You WILL have to provide them with live SPS if you are honestly giving it your best shot. Can you do that for months on end? No?... skip these fish.
You also need to have a back up plan. What if they never convert? That fish needs to go into a large SPS tank. Locate someone who will take them BEFORE you buy. If they start to get thin, you need to give them up.
Quite possibly the best advice I've seen so far!
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
This is an example of a weeks feeding during the first couple of months.
  • Monday - am: Pellets/Rod's food. pm: Hikari mysis & shaved cod.[*]Tuesday - am: Flakefood/Fish eggs. pm: PE mysis/Hikari Brineshrimp.[*]Wednesday - am: Pellets/Rod's Food. pm: Hikari mysis & shaved squid.
    [*]Thursday - am:     fish eggs. pm:     PE mysis & Hikari BS
    Friday - am:     flake food. pm:     Hikari mysis & shaved wild salmon.
    Saturday - am:     Hikari BS. pm:     Hikari mysis
    Sunday - am:
  • Rod's food. pm:
  • Shaved snapper.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by Cranberryhttp:///forum/post/3221964This is an example of a weeks feeding during the first couple of months.
  • Monday - am: Pellets/Rod's food. pm: Hikari mysis & shaved cod.
    [*]Tuesday - am:     Flakefood/Fish eggs. pm:
  • PE mysis/Hikari Brineshrimp.
  • Wednesday - am:
  • Pellets/Rod's Food. pm:
  • Hikari mysis & shaved squid.
  • Thursday - am:
  • fish eggs. pm:
  • PE mysis & Hikari BS
    Friday - am:
  • flake food. pm:
  • Hikari mysis & shaved wild salmon.
    Saturday - am:
  • Hikari BS. pm:
  • Hikari mysis
    Sunday - am:
  • Rod's food. pm:
  • Shaved snapper.
And providing SPS?
So far I've seen him eat brine, blood worms, Mysis and acrtipods. Going to try cyclops tonight mixed with emerald entree.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
This was after she was off SPS. I don't give her any right now.
Mine wouldn't go for super small stuff.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Sunday - am: Rod's food. pm: Shaved snapper.
I cant, god help me as much as I want to. I just cant. There is, and as hard as it is to believe a line I will not cross
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Okay, so I'm fairly certain that the so-called "mated pair" are both females.
So I think I have a female. I don't want two females, so the question is, will the dominant one become male or the other way, you get the point....
 
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