Red Tail Filefish

The Red Tail Filefish, also known as the Black-headed Filefish, is a vibrant and active species that brings a bold splash of color to the aquarium. It features a deep charcoal-to-black head that transitions into a bright orange or yellowish body, culminating in a brilliant, fan-shaped red tail. Like other filefish, it has a prominent dorsal spine that it can lock into place to wedge itself into rockwork for protection at night. They are much more active and visible than the Tomentosus, often seen picking at the rocks in search of small invertebrates. While beautiful, they are notorious for nipping at a variety of corals and fan worms, making them better suited for a fish-only-with-live-rock (FOWLR) system or a very specific reef setup.