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Thread: And the May POTM Winner is ....

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    And the May POTM Winner is ....

    Orange Spotted File Fish




    The Orange Spotted File Fish has been nearly impossible to keep without SPS or Zoanthid corals to provide it's natural food, coral polyps. Under most conditions I would have avoided this fish and suggest others do the same. The beauty of the Orange Spot is compelling. They are seldom seen and when one appears they are striking to behold. So, when asked if it was eating the LFS owner smiled and offered the fish LBS which it consumed with gusto, seeking out and sucking in every last one. I waited a few minutes, contemplating how would he act around coral polyps. I requested he be feed again, at which the owner gave him another generous portion of LBS. It was totally consumed in minutes. Knowing the danger that existed, I bought him. That was 3 months ago. He redily switched to fortified FBS and actually seems to prefer it because he stuffs himself with it. He does pick/eat polyps but as long as I feed him FBS in the morning, plus several times during the day, he does little actual polyp eating that I have seen. He swims in the open and is not at all timid around my 6" Sohal Tang. I would caution anyone about buying an Orange Spotted File Fish simply because their NORMAL eating habits are coral polyps. I lucked out finding one that somehow prefers Brine Shrimp.

    Dick
    Last edited by Phurst; 06-08-2008 at 10:41 AM.
    Amphibious

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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    May POTM

    Congratulations to Dick on this beautiful image!
    Last edited by CarmieJo; 06-10-2008 at 11:35 PM.
    Carmie


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    SPS Reefer / TR Admin lReef lKeeper's Avatar
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    congrats Dick !! SORRY, but i need to get with Rob to edit the front page picture. i can not find it in the admin control panel. he must have it tucked away somewhere.
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    Master Reefer poppin_fresh's Avatar
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    That is an absolutely beautiful fish!

    I am going out tomorrow to get one even though I know nothing about them or what kind of care they require!
    I have Attention Defic...HEY LOOK, A FISH!

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppin_fresh View Post
    That is an absolutely beautiful fish!

    I am going out tomorrow to get one even though I know nothing about them or what kind of care they require!
    That is what we always recommend! NOT!
    Carmie


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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    Awesome shot Dick!
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Assistant Moderator Skurvey Dog's Avatar
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    Congratulations Dick! Awesome shot. You always take such nice pics even though you say it takes tons to get a truly great one. You make it look so easy. Beautiful creature and am thrilled that he is doing well in your care. His spots sort of remind me of the spots on golden cuttlefish. Not as prominent, but still beautiful spot markings just the same. Sounds weird I know, but I think cuttlefish are beautiful creatures also.

    Enjoy basking in the lime light for the month of June! You well deserve it.


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    Expert Reefer thesaent14's Avatar
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    congratulations Dick! is a really nice pic
    acrylic guru

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    Apprentice BrianG's Avatar
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    That is a nice picture. Untill I saw that pic I had never even heard of that fish before. I just finished looking him up, in my aquatics guide. It is an interesting fish.
    Again NIce picture Congradulations.

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    Master Reefer THEJRC's Avatar
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    Gorgeous specimen!!!

    You lucked out for sure on that one!
    ~J


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    Great shot.

    But wasn't this shot in the May POTM?

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    Doh! You're right, that IS the may winner, not the June winner!

    Have changed the thread title acordingly. Nice catch.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    I am honored, thank you!

    Thank you, to all who voted for my Orange Spotted File fish. And let me not forget the Mods who had to decide between a three-way tie, thank you! Thought you might like an update.

    This particular specimen (Can't say it applies to all.) has proven to be quite favorable as a tank mate in spite of his inveterate reputation as a polyp eater. This habit may be reduced or even overcome in captivity by offering a wide variety of food stuff and frequent feedings. He now eats Nori...



    The first piece of Nori I caught him eating was free floating, caused by the Sohal Tang ripping off strips from the veggie clip. Here he is sucking it down his tube like mouth, which is also good for sucking coral polyps, too. He's proven to be a fast learner through visualization. He watched the Tangs eating from the clip and...



    soon he was right in there getting his own. He also eats, and seems to relish, flake food...



    With 13 fish, it's chaos at feeding time. Everyone is so fast, I've found it impossible to get a focused shot of him eating flake. The above pic is the best I've done so far. He sucked that big piece down in two bites. Notice the bulging belly. He also eats pellet foods but, not on camera, so far. And finally a night shot in his sleep mode...



    As Carmie pointed out in my tank thread, Neat fish! I didn't know that they are a species which "changes into pajamas" to sleep. Cute observation, Carmie. This is his chosen night resting spot.

    His diet now consists of, sort of in order of preference,
    flake food
    frozen brine shrimp (I fortify it with vitamins)
    Arctic Pods (Reef Nutrition)
    live pods
    Nori
    Nibbling on rocks (finding what???)
    polyps (much less frequently than when introduced)

    Would I recommend this fish to everyone??? NO!!! Only under special conditions. NEVER for the beginner. NEVER in a Nano. ONLY if the LFS shows you it is eating something (besides polyps). ONLY in a large tank, 55 or bigger. ONLY in an established tank, he eats pods. ONLY by an experienced reefer. ONLY if you are of the belief that your fish are special and you feed them multiple times a day a variety of foods and as much as they want to eat. I allow my fish to stuff themselves. I'm fortunate that I'm retired and can spend the necessary time. They reward me with big fat healthy bodies that wiggle at the front glass asking, "Are you going to feed us again?"


    So, the little fish that shouldn't be kept in captivity according to the current literature, "Orangespotted Filefish Oxymonocanthus longirostris a beauty, but almost immpossible to keep without it's natural diet of live stony coral polyps." (Reef Aquarium Fishes, Scott W. Michael, Author), may not be accurate or this one may be the exception.

    Thanks again, everyone. I'm truly honored.

    Dick
    Amphibious

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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skurvey Dog View Post
    Congratulations Dick! Awesome shot. You always take such nice pics even though you say it takes tons to get a truly great one. You make it look so easy. Beautiful creature and am thrilled that he is doing well in your care. His spots sort of remind me of the spots on golden cuttlefish. Not as prominent, but still beautiful spot markings just the same. Sounds weird I know, but I think cuttlefish are beautiful creatures also.

    Enjoy basking in the lime light for the month of June! You well deserve it.
    Thanks Skurvey. It takes many attempts to get that "one" shot. In the process you get a few that are OK but, many that hit the trash can.

    I, too, think cuttlefish are beautiful. Did you know they are being bred in captivity? If you love them like I do, you will be interested in this article and the web site it's on - Keeping and Breeding the dwarf cuttlefish Sepia bandensis. I don't go there often but, enjoy it now and then. Great info on all cephalopods.

    Dick
    Amphibious

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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Assistant Moderator Skurvey Dog's Avatar
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    Thanks for the great link Dick. And I'm glad you won "MAY"S POTM"

    Thanks for correcting me on that one DaTrucka. We're in June so naturally I associated that to the contest. I'm sorry if I also confused other folks! I've been having pre-senior moments here and there and well, my brains a little sun fried. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.


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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skurvey Dog View Post
    I'm sorry if I also confused other folks! I've been having pre-senior moments here and there and well, my brains a little sun fried. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
    Or, like the rest of us... pickled in brine!!!
    Carmie


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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    Pickled in brine! Yes, Carmie, I think that describes most of us reefers.
    Amphibious

    Good Luck comes to those who research and prepare.


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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Curious Reefer
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    Hey Dick - great shots. I should mention that yours is a female When did you get her / how long have you had her now?

    Matt
    It only takes one...

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    Assistant Moderator rayme07's Avatar
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    Hello Matt and to TR.
    Ray or Raymond
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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    Hey Matt, welcome to TR.

    How can you determine the sex? I got her back in April '08. She's doing great and as long as I keep her full of food, fortified frozen BS, Mysis and Nori she only occasionally nips at corals. I really can't see that she does any damage to the corals.

    Dick
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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Curious Reefer
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    Thanks for the warm welcome Rayme07 & Dick!

    Dick, sexing is actually quite easy once you know what you're looking for. The ventral flap (aka. "Pelvic Rudiment") on the bottom is the quickest way to sex them. Males have a thick black border with several rows of fine white/light blue spots. Females lack the border, and have few if any spots. The center of the flap is always deep orange/red in males. In females it can be black to orange (or anything inbetween) - I've found the female flap color can vary wildly depending on mood.

    Additionally, the soft portions of the dorsal and anal fins are clear in females, and are transluscent orange in males. BOTH sexes have an aroused coloration that can appear in the dorsal an anal fins, where the soft portions become an opaque "goldenrod" coloration...this should not be confused as the sexually dichromatic trait I've just described

    So, given all that, it should be really easy to tell which one of these is male and female.

    It only takes one...

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    Grand Master Reefer saltaddict's Avatar
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    Welcome to TR and thanks for the very cool info. on the file fish. In one of the pics that Dick posted I can see a black outline on the vertical flap but I can't in the very first pic.

    Thanks again.
    Rhonda

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    Curious Reefer
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    Rhonda, I did have to double check the facial markings just to make sure Dick didn't have a second fish he wasn't telling us about, because on closer inspection n the picture where it's eating Nori on the clip, it does look like a male there. Had that been the only picture I had seen of the fish, I probably would have said it's a male. The secondary characteristic of the soft portions of the dorsal and anal fin being clear in Dick's fish are what lend further evidence to my determination that it's a female.

    As far as we collectively know, this species has fixed sexes (supposdly all filefish do), so it's not a case of dominant / largest / oldest fish turning into males (which is how Angelfish such as Centropyge sp. work). That said, I don't think it's been proven that these fish aren't hermaphroditic, and so many other marine fish are.
    It only takes one...

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Hi Matt, to TR!

    Thanks for this great information!
    Carmie


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    Grand Master Reefer rroselavy's Avatar
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    Great group pic, and welcome to TR Matt!

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