Firefish Problem

sean1

New member
I bought two firefish yesterday and put them in my 30 g reef. They seemed healthy and active yesterday evening. THis morning they seemed to have vanished. I checked all over the floor and I doubt they could have jumped because I put a plexiglass lip over all sides of the tank. Is it possible that they are "sleeping' in the rockwork somewhere and aren't coming out? By the way all I have in the tank other than them is an ocellaris pair, some hermit crabs, and lots of sps and lps.
 
I have only tried one fire fish. Healthy when put into the tank. Dead within 2 days. This is not just my experience but a common occurance. Afellow reefer friend, very experienced has had no success with them either.
Obviously they can flourish but for many they dwindle.
 
One probably did in the other one. I have no trouble keeping them, but keeping two in a 50 is impossible.
 
Sk8r - why do you think they have a poor success rate then. My source for this statement is from experienced reef tank keepers.
 
Firefish generally do not like each other especially once they are in their smallish permanent location. As for success rate, firefish are very easily intimidated and tend to starve to death because they are afraid. And of course, they jump rather well. A plexiglass lip will not keep them in.
 
I would not be alarmed so soon. What other tank mates?

Also you should not attempt to keep two firefish in the same tank ( of this general size ) unless they are a mated pair. There will come a day when one has to go.

I have a mated pair of purple's in my tank and they are doing great. They are out all day, eat like pigs, and are living peacefully with the rest of the tank. I did however have to remove my 6 line wrasse that was beating them up, he was quickly removed.
 
RELAX!!!!! They are just laying low and deciding when to come out on their own....these guys are great, I love mine. I just have one, but they will team up great I bet....KEEP SOME SORT OF LID ON at least for a few months....they ARE great jumpers....I don't have a cover now, but nobody has jumped yet, and I had them all covered for the first 7 months....Make a cover from a frame and some mesh fabric....go to your crafts shop bridal section and get bridal veil fabric.
 
I've had a firefish for over 2 years. Once he freaked out and tried to jump out of my nano-cube but hit his head and landed in the overflow. I fished him out and as soon as he was back in the display he swam under a rock and I didn't see him for 3 days. Now all is well.

When they are stressed they will hide for a while. Make sure he has mellow tankmates.
 
They finally came out after two days. They seem to be looking well and ate some of cyclops I droped in. The only other tankmates they have is an ocellaris pair and a neon goby. They all seem to be getting along. I would completly cover the tank but I have acros and clams and I think the plexiglass would reflect too much of the light. The halide might even melt it. The mesh sounds like a good idea though.
 
By the way, is there anyay I could get them to pair in my tank? Do they change sex llike clowns and some other kinds of goby or if not is there anyway to determine sex?
 
Either they will pair off or one will kill the other. But it is not your choice, it is theirs.
 
You talking about these guys, the purple or the Helfrichis? I've had mine for over 1 yr or so. You need other dither fish that like to swim in the middle column of the tank to make them feel safe. My pair if paired up with 2 bargobies. Mine show all day. even when Im infront of the tank. They do get skittish ones in a while if you make sudden movements they might dive in they're hiding spot for a couple of seconds then come back out. Yours are probably just hiding and hanging out in the crevices.

Too me they are relatively easy. I've kept them before as well when I first started reefkeeping.
Picture002-5.jpg
 
We thought ours had perished when we brought him home, but after 3 weeks he appeared! Doing great, comes out to feed every morning and evening. Had him for almost a year now.
Keep looking !
 
I have tried purples and oranges and the both had flukes both fought to the death.
I wont be getting them again.
 
intresting what I'm seeing here in this thread.. The fire fishes that I get, I usually check them out for a couple of weeks to ensure that they are healthy at the LFS and eat well. I also watch the group for pairs so that I dont accidentally get 2 males.
 
I've had N. magnifica, N. decora, and now have N. helfrichi... never had any health issues.

The only fish I've had pick on a firefish was a sixline wrasse. Luckily I was able to relocate the wrasse before any major damage was done to the firefish.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11675733#post11675733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
One probably did in the other one. I have no trouble keeping them, but keeping two in a 50 is impossible.

I kept N. magnifica with N. decora in a nano.

They were the only fish, had them for about 2 1/2 years in there until they were relocated to a 180g.
 
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