Algae are very important to the ocean’s health and can be found all around our reefs, but sometimes their growth is out of control and overwhelms coral. Enter the filefish–hungry heroes that help keep everything in balance! 

Filefish are tropical fish that can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. They typically grow up to 4-6 inches long, but some can reach a foot. Their skin can range from warm orange colours to cool greens and greys, and they’re fairly shy when interacting with other fish. Filefish are closely related to triggerfish, pufferfish, and trunkfish.

One part of their diet is algae. Algae grows in most oceans, typically closer to the surface of the water since they perform photosynthesis using chlorophyll to get energy. Fish, sea urchins, and even zooplankton like eating algae, but when there’s an imbalance in the ocean, the algae can grow quickly and block out light for corals living underneath. Filefish are one of the fish that attack this algae with spiky teeth for easy eating. . 

How are filefish different from other fish? Part of it lies in their anatomy.

Filefish have very slim bodies which cut through water quickly allowing them to swim away from predators with ease. They have fanned tails which helps them move dynamically including in backwards directions, a skill many other fish struggle with. Humans have interacted with them in several ways–first as a source of food. They are also used for educational purposes as they thrive in aquariums, and since they have such rough scales, they have been used to smooth and file down wood (hence the name). While filefish aren’t considered endangered, certain filefish like the orange-spotted filefish only eat coral, whose populations are dwindling due to global warming.  

We have several filefish here at the Boca Aquarium! Come check them out at 2801 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton, FL 33431. They are fintastic!

-Val