Acreichthys radiatus - The Radial Filefish is a cool dwarf filefish reaching only 3" in length, making it suitable for nano reefs and aquariums. They have an interesting commensal relationship with Xeniids and like to spawn and aggregate within Xenia and similar soft coral colonies in aquariums, but don't require them for survival in captivity. They have amazing camouflage capabilities and will try to match their surroundings. For this reason, their colors and pattern varies significantly.
Wild caught Radial Filefish are reef safe "with caution," and they may or may not eat LPS and other fleshy corals. Especially when young, this species may bite down and hold on to a Xenia or soft coral polyp while they sleep so they aren't swept away. This behavior may be mistaken by the casual observer as the fish eating the coral. They might nibble at at coral mucus and food particles that are trapped in the mucus, but typically not enough to do harm to their host coral. Reports from reefers and other aquaculture facilities over the past 5+ years point to captive bred Radial Filefish being mostly reef safe with caution, but risk averse reefers should avoid this species if planning to keep them in a diverse mixed reef. Although closely related to the Aiptasia Eating Filefish, the Radial Filefish does not reliably eat pest anemones.
Once a rare species in the aquarium hobby, captive breeding has made this fascinating species more available. Their striking bands and interesting relationship with soft corals has made them a sought after filefish. Captive bred Radial Filefish do well in pairs or small groups in aquariums when added at the same time, and they're peaceful toward other fish species.
This species is naturally a poor swimmer, so ensure their safety by covering wavemakers/overflows and make sure the flow isn't too fast for them. An acclimation box can help, as well. Use caution when housing these with anemones or other corals with a strong sting.
These obligate omnivores are easy to keep and feed. We recommend a variety of frozen foods, appropriately sized pellets, and Easy Reefs DKI pellets and Masstick.