Both fish have a white, puffed-up, spotted body with dark dorsal stripes and yellow fins. However, the filefish has two dorsal fins, while the puffer has only one.
The filefish’s first dorsal fin looks like a file, but cannot be locked into place like the “trigger spine” of triggerfish.
Mimic filefish can reach around 4 inches (10 cm) in length. They are found in lagoons and on sheltered reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, usually living in pairs or sometimes found in large groups.
They feed on algae and invertebrates, including tunicates and sponges. Watch a video of a mimic filefish snacking voraciously on romaine lettuce in an aquarium.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
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