Firefish behaviour

[curviceps]

Hey all

I've had a couple of firefish for a couple of months. They've lived peacefully together, sleeping together, etc, and looked very much like a pair.

Just yesterday, I noticed that their dorsal fins both looked a bit dishevelled and one of them has a split tail fin. Have caught them being rough with each other.

They used to be out in the open a lot, now they seem more timid and hiding - one more than the other.

Does anyone know what is going on here? Is it that they've grown up now and found themselves not a pair after all and now being aggressive to each other? Is this some sort of breeding/mating behaviour?

cheers
Tim

 

[snorvich]

Yes, one of the firefish is intimidating the other and soon you will end up with only one firefish. Very common when trying to keep more than one firefish.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

+1 they're not a pair, probably just juveniles that got along for a while

I went through this a few months ago. Pull someone out, better to grab the aggressor if you can, it's gonna' get a lot nastier.

 

[Triggerfish]

im presuming you didnt add any new additions that could be the cause.
had the same situation recently where one all of a sudden began to hide and in 3 days it was dead. this all happened in 3 days. the fish didnt appear to be injured so not sure here.

 

[Betta132]

Definitely pull one of 'em out. This happens with certain species when they get older... They stop getting along.