Firefish Goby Odd Behavior

[Lawman5014]

Hi, I've got a 30 gallon tank with lots of live rock and a couple small corals. Fish include 2 Firefish Gobys, a Clown, and a Zebra Barred Dartfish. I try to run my lighting (Kessill A150 Sky Blue followed by Deep Ocean Blue) about 16 hours a day. Now that you know what I've got here's the meat of my post.

I recently purchased a pair of firefish gobys. At the LFS they were always swimming together peacefully which is why I got the pair. In my tank (which has numerous hiding spots due to live rock) when I first turn on the light when I get home from work one of the goby's (#1) always comes out to swim in the open within 30 minutes or so and he stays there until I leave to go to work the following morning. His buddy however, rarely comes out of hiding until the light has been on for some 6 - 7 hours. When #2 does finally come out, he swims very close to #1 as if their old pals and love being with one another in the tank. I've never seen #1 or either of my other two fish ever exhibit any aggressive behavior at all towards either goby.

Why does #2 stay hiding for such a long period of time when I turn the lights on even though #1 comes out pretty quick to check things out? I bought them about 3 weeks ago and this has been the routine for them since purchase. Thanks.

 

[snorvich]

Unfortunately, unless you get very lucky and get a bonded male/female pair, two firefish will become one over time. Usually happens in the 2-4 month time frame.

 

[Lawman5014]

I was afraid of that. Even though I've had my tank a couple of years I still consider myself "new" to the hobby. At the LFS they were together happily it seemed as they swam close to one another. I was hoping they were a pair based on that. It just confuses me that now, when #2 comes out finally, that they both swim together with no problems.

 

[J2T]

I made the same mistake, bought two and they hung out together and so I figured I was golden. Then it was about 5 months in I started noticing one had tattered fins and they were not swimming with each other at all. Unfortunately he managed to find a way to jump through my screen top before I could find him a home. IMO you should find a new home for one of them because I doubt it will work out long term.

 

[Lawman5014]

Unfortunately, unless you get very lucky and get a bonded male/female pair, two firefish will become one over time. Usually happens in the 2-4 month time frame.

So you were dead on. My two seemingly friendly fire fish goby's are now one. I turned on my light today and saw one goby swimming happily in the open. The other was being eaten by my crabs down below it :uhoh2: