Bad filefish!

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How to catch - as @flsalty suggested find the sleeping location. I had one in a 40 breeder and it would sleep at the top of the tank. So was easy to catch.

I actually have a ORA captive raised matted filefish now in a 5 gallon because it is too small for the display. I'd add him and it would use the overflow and plumbing for a slip and slide. End up in the sump so I'd have to rescue in case it would be pump food. Never the less I've placed rocks with Aiptasia on them and it eats them. That is good news. Bad news is that as everyone else already said it is a 50/50 gamble. Mine will go into the display in a week or two. Hope it will help since my peppermint shrimp have no desire to eat the stuff.

Copperband while I'd love one is off the list - I have 2 maxima clams....
 

KrisReef

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90 gallon is pretty big to drain unless you have a couple of 55-gallon barrels that you can siphon into and then pump back once you caught the fish.

If you this it's a great time to move any other trouble makers you have from the tank to the sump or back to the LFS.
 
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Schteeve

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maybe theres just not enough algae in there to keep him happy? what should i feed a filefish?
i've heard dried seaweed from the groceries can be used, like the type you make sushi from
 
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maybe theres just not enough algae in there to keep him happy? what should i feed a filefish?
i've heard dried seaweed from the groceries can be used, like the type you make sushi from

What food do you readily have available to try?

I've had success with pellet, mysis, brine, and LRS. The little fella I have now eats all of that. So it pretty much eats all the food I've put in the tank along with the pest on a rock that I've tested with.
 
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Schteeve

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What food do you readily have available to try?

I've had success with pellet, mysis, brine, and LRS. The little fella I have now eats all of that. So it pretty much eats all the food I've put in the tank along with the pest on a rock that I've tested with.

i have flakes and pellets, he will eat what i put in the tank, but he seems to be a very slow feeder. Maybe he's full from all the Duncan he's been eating
 
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i have flakes and pellets, he will eat what i put in the tank, but he seems to be a very slow feeder. Maybe he's full from all the Duncan he's been eating

Lol - well, mine is the only fish at the moment in the 5 gallon and it eats pretty aggressively. I seem to remember my larger one int he 40 breeder behaving similar. I was always under the impression that they would starve once they finished clearing out the aiptasia and you should rehome them.

Oddly enough I have a single Duncan head. If this little fella goes after it, well, he will be kicked out of the house.
 
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okay, i managed to get him out of the tank and into the refugium.
i wouldnt say i "caught" him.. he kinda lept out of the tank and onto the floor! but im sure he'll be okay
 

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Glad you caught him. I am currently experiencing the same issue. Small filefish introduced to the tank and within 1 week I noticed halves of acan colonies closed and exposing their skeleton. I thought parameters, light, flow, but going back through my records, nothing was changed or out of wack prior to or after the acans went down hill. I finally caught him in the act.

I have to second catching him at night. Simply turn the lights off suddenly and within 30-45 minutes you can literally push him into a clear container just using your hand.
 

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