Firefish in groups

[BonesCJ]

I am setting up a 90 with these current fish
1 yellow tang
1 perc clown
1 engineer goby
1 green clown goby
1 rainfords goby

I really like fish that hang out in the open and have had single's of firefish before and love their behavior. What I would really like to do is keep a group of 5 of the standard "red" firefish in this system, there will be plenty of rockwork and sand for burrows and bolt holes and the tank has a screen top to keep jumpers in. I have done chromis in the past but am looking for something new. Thought about cardinals as well but they tend to do the whole "pair off and get aggressive" scenario. Am I crazy or is this doable? Please fire off suggestions as well.

 

[Moonstream]

I have a trio of red firefish in my 75g and they are great! initially, I believe a pair had formed between 2 of the fish, and they bullied the slightly smaller one (resulting in a frayed dorsal fin). within about a week and a half, all squabbles had ceased and the injury that the smallest had obtained healed in about 2 days. now all 3 are happy and doing very well. the 'apir' were from a different tank then the smaller one, so I would highly recommend getting all 5 from the same tank (if possible).

 

[Blazer88]

I took about six months by my group of three was slowly dwindled down to a single fish. I asked this same question a few years ago and most people said you will only have one left if you give it enough time.

 

[SteveJakubiec]

Rainfordi's and Clown gobies are small, like tiny, and also usually firefish don't stay as trios, they either become two or one.

 

[BonesCJ]

um, not sure what the gobies have to do with this, firefish are small themselves

 

[snorvich]

Agree with Blazer88 and Steve Jakubiec. Either two (a pair) or one will result given enough time.

 

[Recty]

I was lucky and put 4 firefish into my 75g and came out with two pairs. Initially, one fish was chased away from the other three and always hung out on the far side of the tank, basically hiding nonstop. He had a frayed dorsal fin too after a couple run ins with the gang.

After about another month, he was healed up and paired up with another firefish.

So I had one pair that hung out kind of mid tank more to the left, and one pair that hung out on the far right.

They are great fish as long as you get a good pair or just run a single. I much prefer a pair to a single though.

 

[Apercula]

I got lucky and the 2 I bought paired up almost immediately.