The orangespotted or harlequin filefish has always been one of my favorite fish. So after a couple months of research I decided I would try to keep one. I have a biocube 29 mixed reef with a clownfish, chromis, and a mandarin. I was super excited when my Lfs got one in and I convinced them to let me buy it. He was a small male that was already thin. Next I gathered up my arsenal of food- live brine shrimp, live blackworms, live white worms, clams, mysis, and selcon soaked pellets. The first couple days he refused to eat which wasn't surprising. Then pretty soon he was picking at the newborn live brine shrimp, and then white and blackworms. He seemed to be doing well, but unfortunately this story doesn't have a happy ending.
I have several pieces of sps and he only picked at montipora, stylophora, and a small acro. No noticeable damage, just reduced polyp extension. I made a worm feeder for the white worms out of a small pipette with small holes. He had trouble eating the mysis because of his small mouth. I found tiny pieces of clams to be much better. I will say they are very slow eaters. I constantly had to distract my clownfish and chromis while I could feed him. I fed him at least 2 times a day, normally 3 if I could.
As good as he was eating he stayed very thin. He was defiantly underweight but always ate well and didn't seem to be affected. I thought there may be a intestinal parasite and debated medicating, but he showed no signs of any issues. I was hopeful that he would slowly gain some weight back. Yesterday morning I noticed him in his coral where he sleeps just laying there. I nudged him and he went belly up then swam off to the corner. Later he actually got back up and as unstable as he was he ate. I couldn't believe it. He spent the rest of the day wedged in a coral. The day before he was fine. I found him dead in the back of the tank this morning. I looked him over and found no signs of disease. No parasites or infections. All other fish are fine. I really don't know what happened. He went from seemingly fine to dead in 2 days. The only thing I can think of is a internal issue that prevented him from gaining weight.
Sorry for the long post but I thought I would share my experience with this fish.
I have several pieces of sps and he only picked at montipora, stylophora, and a small acro. No noticeable damage, just reduced polyp extension. I made a worm feeder for the white worms out of a small pipette with small holes. He had trouble eating the mysis because of his small mouth. I found tiny pieces of clams to be much better. I will say they are very slow eaters. I constantly had to distract my clownfish and chromis while I could feed him. I fed him at least 2 times a day, normally 3 if I could.
As good as he was eating he stayed very thin. He was defiantly underweight but always ate well and didn't seem to be affected. I thought there may be a intestinal parasite and debated medicating, but he showed no signs of any issues. I was hopeful that he would slowly gain some weight back. Yesterday morning I noticed him in his coral where he sleeps just laying there. I nudged him and he went belly up then swam off to the corner. Later he actually got back up and as unstable as he was he ate. I couldn't believe it. He spent the rest of the day wedged in a coral. The day before he was fine. I found him dead in the back of the tank this morning. I looked him over and found no signs of disease. No parasites or infections. All other fish are fine. I really don't know what happened. He went from seemingly fine to dead in 2 days. The only thing I can think of is a internal issue that prevented him from gaining weight.
Sorry for the long post but I thought I would share my experience with this fish.
