Redtail Filefish is a marine fish found in the Indo-West Pacific region. Sometimes, people buy this fish for their aquariums.
It likes clear coastal reefs and protected outer reef areas where there are many invertebrates.
Redtail Filefish prefer deeper waters within the reefs. Often, they are seen in pairs, but sometimes they can be alone.
You need to be careful while adding Redtail Filefish in a reef aquarium as they may harm the coral polyps and other invertebrates.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Redtail Filefish Interesting Facts
- Redtail Filefish grow up to 6.3 inches (16.0 centimeters) long and are popular in aquariums.
- Found in the Indo-West Pacific, they prefer deeper coral reefs at 20 to 40 meters.
- Their distinct colors include blackish-brown or bluish-black head and orange body.
- Males develop rough scale ridges when they reach about 65 mm in size.
Redtail Filefish Habitat
Redtail Filefish is a marine fish found in the Indo-West Pacific region. It lives in coral reefs at depths of 20 to 40 meters (usually around 20 meters).
This fish thrives in tropical waters, specifically between latitudes of 30°N to 24°S.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Redtail Filefish Physical Characteristics
Size: 6.3 inches (16.0 centimeters)
Redtail Filefish grows up to 6.3 inches (16.0 centimeters) long. It has 1 to 2 spines on its back (dorsal) fin and 30 to 33 soft rays on the dorsal fin.
It doesn’t have any spines on its bottom (anal) fin but has 27 to 30 soft rays.
Redtail Filefish’s head and front part of the body are blackish-brown or bluish-black in color, while the rest of its body is orange. There’s a black spot around the gill opening.
The tail fin is orange, and both dorsal and anal fins are yellow. The first spine on the dorsal fin is blackish-brown.
This fish has a large pelvic rudiment not widely attached to the back edge of its belly flap.
Males usually develop rough scale ridges at about 65 mm in size. The scales on the middle part of their bodies aren’t tightly packed together.
Redtail Filefish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Monacanthidae |
| Genus: | Pervagor |
| Scientific Name: | Pervagor melanocephalus |
| Also Known As: | Redtail Filefish |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |