Firefish gobies beat up

Spar

Spar

New member
About 4 months ago I bought 6 firefish gobies. they all went through QT (hypo) together and were all fine, looked good, good weight, eating, etc, for that 2 month period.

I added them all into my 450g about 2 months ago. Since then, of the 6 total, 1 died, 2 look good, 1 looks beat up but otherwise healthy, and 2 look anorexic and beat up real bad.

I do not ever see any other fish beating on or chasing them, they stay pretty much to themselves. During feeding there is a little shove around but nothing more than a 1/4 second chase. But they all eat just fine.

Could there be something else that is causing them to look like that? Too much flow bumping them into the rocks, etc... e.g. is it possible that it isn't another fish doing it?

All other fish look great except for one of my foxface rabbitfish that got beat up bad (no clue who did it) about 9 months ago, but no aggression noted since.

Other fish mates:
-2 yellow tang's (i know they will be the first suspects, but they treat the other tang's fine in the tank and as said above they never seem to even glance at the firefish gobies)
-1 sailfin tang
-1 Tennenti/Lieutenant/Vampire/whatever-other-common-names-it-has
-2 Foxface rabbits
-1 Flame Hawkfish
 
it could defiantly be the hawkfish, that fish likes to pick on fish under his size or will not put up a fight such as the firefish, if they do get into fights the firefish will probably try to defend its self once and then try to swim away because they are VERY docile, i know its too late now but u should have added the most docile fish first into ur tank, even in a huge tank like yours haha... but if u dont see those 2 species fighting then when u got ur firefishs were they all in the same tank or no. Also the 2 healthy looking ones are most likely a mated pair and will defend there territory, they probably swim with the group but sleep in a different burrow and only care about there mate and them selfs haha.
 
My bet is the other firefish are the culprits. I had 2 for awhile and the runt just continually got more ragged. You have a huge tank but I still would bet on it being the other firefish.
 
Well bugga. They got along fine in the 75g QT together (also an answer to one of the questions above, they have been together in the prior tank and the current tank).

I was originally hoping they would pair off in separate parts of the tank, but they all stay in the same section of the tank together instead.

Fish are too moody!!
 
My pair were in a 20 gallon for months with no issues til I moved them to the 58 gal,even there they were good for 2 months,then it got nasty.
 
Agree that it is the Hawkfish. I have one in my 125 and i am tyring to catch him because i have seen him bulling other fishes. I also tried filefish and even when i put the bag in the tank for acclimatation he picked up to the bag.

Obviously what happend,made the filefish jump even that i have a canopy.
 
I highly doubt the hawk is what the problem is. the problem is having muiltple firefish in the same tank. It just never works out and they always end up stressing each other out to death and it results in msising fins, ect. Firefish unless mated should be kept one to a tank unless you're system is large enough for space.
 
Probablly yor are right, but also happened with 2 Ocelaris Clowns that i had. Water parameters are great by the way.
 
i still think its the hawk or something cause he has a 450gal tank im thinking that is plenty of room for them not to be stressed and adgictated
 
i have been watching the hawk closely since this post, but just dont see any aggression at all from him. In fact, he usually stays on the complete opposite side of the tank from the other little guys. I will continue to monitor to him.

It does appear that the two healthy firefish gobies are a pair as go into the same hole together after eating. So could be them doing it to the others. If it were another fish I would think they would be equal opportunists on picking on the gobies... maybe two are just smarter than the others though.

Thanks for all the replies!
 
I will also keep informed because i will do my best to catch him this weekend and put him in a quarantine tank to be sure. If i don't have luck, i will put a screen divider and isolate him during a week while i put other new little fish.
 
Andrew said:
I highly doubt the hawk is what the problem is. the problem is having muiltple firefish in the same tank. It just never works out and they always end up stressing each other out to death and it results in msising fins, ect. Firefish unless mated should be kept one to a tank unless you're system is large enough for space.
Click to expand...

I agree. Every source I know says to limit FF to one mated pair. Fish will often do well in a QT and then revert to their normal behavior in the DT. This info is typical:http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1636+168&pcatid=168
 
Any crabs in your tank? Personally, I also think the other firefish are the problem, but, firefish are so passive and when sleeping at night they are pretty defenseless against predatory crabs, including larger hermits, emeralds, sally-lightfoots, ect. The fin shredding is what makes me think possible predators picking at them although other fish more likely.
 
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