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Every species is checked against your display tank before it goes in the water.
How this works →How we check: each species' minimum tank size against your display volume, plus quantities and behaviour pairings between tankmates.


Redtail Filefish
The redtail (black-headed) filefish is a small, commonly imported Pervagor that stays modest in aquaria — roughly 9-10 cm, well under the ~16 cm wild maximum FishBase reports. It has a hobby reputation as an 'Aiptasia eater', but the fish actually sold and documented for that job under that name is a different species, Acreichthys tomentosus; reports of P. melanocephalus reliably clearing Aiptasia are anecdotal, inconsistent, and likely conflated with that other species — don't buy it specifically for pest control. Like other filefish it is not reef-safeWon't harm corals or invertebrates, so it's safe to keep in a reef tank rather than a fish-only setup.: it will pick at ornamental invertebrates and nip coral polyps, so keep it fish-only or with only the hardiest, least valuable corals.
Care & compatibility guidance only — confirm this fish’s needs and temperament with your supplier before you buy. Disclaimer
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