- Common name
- Aiptasia-eating filefish
- Scientific name
- Acreichthys tomentosus
- Category
- Marine fish
- Group
- Filefishes
- Environment
- Marine aquarium
- Origin
- Indo-West Pacific from Sri Lanka through Indonesia to New Caledonia and north to southern Japan; shallow reefs, rubble, weed and seagrass habitat
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- Up to about 14 cm standard length
- Expected lifespan
- A dependable aquarium maximum was not located; plan for 5–8 years and for feeding the fish permanently even if the Aiptasia is gone.
- Minimum housing
- At least 250 L with mature rockwork, open feeding space and several quiet retreats
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 8.0–8.4
- Hardness / minerals
- Alkalinity 7–11 dKH; calcium 380–450 mg/L; magnesium 1,200–1,400 mg/L
- Salinity
- 33–35 ppt (specific gravity about 1.024–1.026 at 25 °C)
- Lighting
- Moderate reef lighting with shaded retreats
- Placement / zone
- Rockwork, rubble and middle water
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the complete adult aiptasia-eating filefish group, with guarded intakes and accessible mechanical capture. Keep flow moderate with quiet rubble and rockwork refuge where the fish lives, and maintain undetectable ammonia and nitrite.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, heavy feeding or any sign of rapid breathing.
- Maintenance
- Perform regular matched-water changes guided by nitrate and waste, remove uneaten food and trapped detritus, clean mechanical media without disrupting the biofilter, and record feeding, body condition, respiration and aggression.
Identity and search names
Single-profile scope for Acreichthys tomentosus. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 18, slug aiptasia-eating-filefish and route species/aiptasia-eating-filefish/index.html; retain former combinations, locality labels, domestic-form names and trade names only as searchable aliases.
Search names: bristletail filefish, matted filefish
Environment and housing
Mature reef-style system with rubble, rock crevices, seagrass-like cover, quiet refuge, stable oxygen and protected equipment
Social structure: Usually keep one; a documented compatible pair requires substantially more space and separated refuge
Feeding and nutrition
Feeding ecology: Amphipods, polychaetes, molluscs and other small benthic invertebrates, plus varied marine prepared foods
Feeding routine: One or two small meals daily; confirm acceptance of prepared food before purchase
Breeding, reproduction or spread
Oviparous, but a dependable routine home-aquarium propagation method is not established
Detailed care and app-ready planning
- Identity scope
- Single-profile scope for Acreichthys tomentosus. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 18, slug aiptasia-eating-filefish and route species/aiptasia-eating-filefish/index.html; retain former combinations, locality labels, domestic-form names and trade names only as searchable aliases.
- Adult size and space
- Expected adult size: Up to about 14 cm standard length. Minimum permanent housing: At least 250 L with mature rockwork, open feeding space and several quiet retreats. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression, oxygen demand and waste production rather than sale size.
- Social structure
- Usually keep one; a documented compatible pair requires substantially more space and separated refuge
- Swimming zone or placement
- Primary zone: Rockwork, rubble and middle water. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding, refuge and escape.
- Feeding ecology
- Amphipods, polychaetes, molluscs and other small benthic invertebrates, plus varied marine prepared foods
- Feeding plan
- One or two small meals daily; confirm acceptance of prepared food before purchase
- Water stability
- Maintain 22–28 °C; pH 8.0–8.4; hardness or minerals: Alkalinity 7–11 dKH; calcium 380–450 mg/L; magnesium 1,200–1,400 mg/L; salinity: 33–35 ppt (specific gravity about 1.024–1.026 at 25 °C). Stability, oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact value.
- Habitat structure
- Mature reef-style system with rubble, rock crevices, seagrass-like cover, quiet refuge, stable oxygen and protected equipment
- Compatibility plan
- Generally peaceful with fish, but individuals may eat ornamental crustaceans or nip coral tissue, clam mantles and other sessile invertebrates
- Breeding or reproduction plan
- Oviparous, but a dependable routine home-aquarium propagation method is not established Parental care: Unknown for dependable aquarium planning.
- Quarantine
- Quarantine new livestock in a separate cycled system for at least 30 days. Observe appetite, respiration, waste, skin, fins and behaviour; use dedicated equipment and never add transport water to the established aquarium.
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Aiptasia consumption varies by individual. It may ignore the pest and may nip corals, clam mantles, ornamental crustaceans or other desirable invertebrates.
- Biosecurity and release
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
- Main risk
- Aiptasia consumption varies by individual. It may ignore the pest and may nip corals, clam mantles, ornamental crustaceans or other desirable invertebrates.
- Adult projected load
- Project biological load from the full adult aiptasia-eating filefish group, adult body mass, feeding pattern, activity and social requirement rather than juvenile sale size. Frequent meaty foods and an adult around 14 cm create a moderate reef-system nutrient load.
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the complete adult aiptasia-eating filefish group, with guarded intakes and accessible mechanical capture. Keep flow moderate with quiet rubble and rockwork refuge where the fish lives, and maintain undetectable ammonia and nitrite.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, heavy feeding or any sign of rapid breathing.
- Maintenance
- Perform regular matched-water changes guided by nitrate and waste, remove uneaten food and trapped detritus, clean mechanical media without disrupting the biofilter, and record feeding, body condition, respiration and aggression.
- Overridable warnings
- Non-overridable: do not accept persistent ammonia or nitrite, oxygen distress, starvation, chronic aggression or inadequate adult space. Different equipment, stocking or maintenance methods may be used only when measured water quality and adult welfare remain equivalent or better. Aiptasia consumption is not guaranteed and reef nipping or predation on desirable invertebrates may require permanent relocation.
Compatibility, welfare and risk
Compatibility: Generally peaceful with fish, but individuals may eat ornamental crustaceans or nip coral tissue, clam mantles and other sessile invertebrates
Welfare: Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Aiptasia consumption varies by individual. It may ignore the pest and may nip corals, clam mantles, ornamental crustaceans or other desirable invertebrates.
Main warning: Aiptasia consumption varies by individual. It may ignore the pest and may nip corals, clam mantles, ornamental crustaceans or other desirable invertebrates.
Biosecurity and release
Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.