Firefish behaviour during quarantine

andy01748

New member
I currently have a firefish and lawnmower blenny approaching two weeks observation in QT after going through TTM (that included 2 rounds of Prazipro). The firefish seems to have become more reclusive as the QT period has worn on. Unlike during TTM and the first few days of QT, where during daylight hours it would freely swim about the tank, it exclusively stays in on the bottom under a LR I used to seed the QT filtration system. It will come out to eat, although it will stay close to the rock (whereas before it would swim throughout the tank to hunt down food to eat). After eating it goes right back to under the rock.

To my observation, its breathing looks normal, and appears to swim normal when it does swim. As far as I can tell, I see nothing on its skin that looks like it is diseased and its coloration looks OK. I recall reading that reclusiveness may be a sign of illness?

I am more used to fish showing this hiding behavior at the beginning of being placed in new surroundings, but once they adapt to the new envirionment they tend to swim about more freely. For example, the lawn mower blenny is definitely more out in the open now than when I started the QT period.

Should I be concerned about the firefish, or is this normal behavior? I was thinking maybe it didn't have place called home at first, but now its more reclusive because it feels more comfortable having found its 'home'? It seems to always be in the same location under the rock. I'd like to transfer them into the DT, but not if they don't have a good health stamp of approval! Please advise.
 
I am tagging along because I am in a similar position. Firefish and tailspot blenny in qt, and the fire fish exhibited similar behaviors after the first transfer. I just completed the second transfer and he remains secluded. I tried to make the transfer as stress free as possible. And he is still eating....behaviors "normal" during that. Could it be normal?

Also all that is in my QT is pvc pipe, heater, and 1" airstone.
 
I currently have a firefish and lawnmower blenny approaching two weeks observation in QT after going through TTM (that included 2 rounds of Prazipro). The firefish seems to have become more reclusive as the QT period has worn on. Unlike during TTM and the first few days of QT, where during daylight hours it would freely swim about the tank, it exclusively stays in on the bottom under a LR I used to seed the QT filtration system. It will come out to eat, although it will stay close to the rock (whereas before it would swim throughout the tank to hunt down food to eat). After eating it goes right back to under the rock.

To my observation, its breathing looks normal, and appears to swim normal when it does swim. As far as I can tell, I see nothing on its skin that looks like it is diseased and its coloration looks OK. I recall reading that reclusiveness may be a sign of illness?

I am more used to fish showing this hiding behavior at the beginning of being placed in new surroundings, but once they adapt to the new envirionment they tend to swim about more freely. For example, the lawn mower blenny is definitely more out in the open now than when I started the QT period.

Should I be concerned about the firefish, or is this normal behavior? I was thinking maybe it didn't have place called home at first, but now its more reclusive because it feels more comfortable having found its 'home'? It seems to always be in the same location under the rock. I'd like to transfer them into the DT, but not if they don't have a good health stamp of approval! Please advise.

How long have they been in the QT?
 
You should be ok to move into the main. Brook and velvet should have presented by now and you took care of the ich and flukes...the only thing I would be concerned with is a bacterial infection. I recently went through the same thing with a wrasse. He did great for the first three week (TT and Prazi) but once I moved him into the QT he started hiding. I treated with metro and he became more active.
Is it possible the Blenny is harassing him?
 
Is it possible the Blenny is harassing him?


I don't think so. When it comes out to eat the blenny doesn't seem to interact with it. Never seen the blenny chase it. Sometimes the blenny will lie right by its side under the rock, but never seems to show any aggression towards the fire fish.
 
You should be ok to move into the main. Brook and velvet should have presented by now and you took care of the ich and flukes...the only thing I would be concerned with is a bacterial infection. I recently went through the same thing with a wrasse. He did great for the first three week (TT and Prazi) but once I moved him into the QT he started hiding. I treated with metro and he became more active.
Is it possible the Blenny is harassing him?

I'm still waiting for others to weigh in with opinions of normal behavior versus possible illness?

I'm a little gun-shy of the risks starting a medication treatment unless it is necessary, plus I don't have metro on hand. Since the contagious parasitic diseases and flukes are no longer a concern, I plan to at least transfer the blenny to the DT. I'd hate to put the firefish in there, then have to try to catch him for treatment, because I wouldn't want to treat the entire DT. I guess I'll just continue to observe the firefish in QT and see if it appears to get sicker.
 
Firefish can be very shy. I've had mine for well over a year, and sometimes he just hangs out in his bolt-hole for extended periods of time. Most of the time he's out in the open, though. I agree that since you have treated for the most common diseases, and have passed the danger period for brook and velvet, he's fine (especially since he is eating).
 
Appreciate your input. I'll do the transfer since I'm not putting the other fish at risk, and assume its behavior is probably just a firefish being a firefish!
 
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