Orange Spot Filefish

About this fish

Orange Spot Filefish is a marine filefish sold as a special order fish, commonly identified as Cantherhines pullus. In practical terms, it’s a grazing/foraging fish that spends time picking at the substrate and live rock for natural foods, making it a good candidate for aquariums that can support active feeding and stable water conditions. Because filefish are specialist foragers, the main “use” of this fish in a home aquarium is adding an active, reef-rock and sand-sifting personality while providing suitable diet and tank conditions for long-term success.

Features:

• Forages actively across live rock and/or sand, helping utilize natural feeding opportunities in the aquarium
• Reef-style aquascapes with plenty of rockwork are helpful for natural searching and behavioral enrichment
• Typically an alert, daytime-oriented fish that benefits from consistent feeding routines
• Generally best paired with tankmates that can tolerate occasional nipping or foraging behavior associated with filefish feeding
• Requires stable marine water parameters and good filtration to handle the higher sensitivity of many wild-caught marine fishes

Specifications:

• Scientific name (if applicable): Cantherhines pullus
• Care level (general): Moderate (requires stable saltwater conditions and reliable feeding)
• Temperament (general): Active forager; may show nipping/foraging behavior toward small tank items
• Tank type: Marine (saltwater) aquarium
• Placement: Rock-and-substrate areas where it can graze and search
• Diet (general): Marine meaty foods and/or prepared diets suited to foraging filefish; feed to support natural grazing behavior
• Temperature: Tropical range, typically about 72–78°F (22–26°C)
• Salinity: Reef-typical levels around 1.020–1.025 SG
• pH: Approximately 8.1–8.4 (target stable conditions)
• Alkalinity: About 8–12 dKH (aim for stability)
• Calcium (general reef range): About 400–450 ppm
• Magnesium (general reef range): About 1250–1350 ppm