FireFish Question.

[SharkLVR09]

So, I would like to have a PAIR of Firefish. I am curious to see who has kept a pair and is there a way to tell if they are Male and Female Mated pair. What can I look for if anything? Any Info. Would be great. Thank you!

 

[snorvich]

I do not know how to physically tell males from females. At an LFS, look for two that "hang out" together. While LFS keep them in an artificial environment where territories can not be established, often times one can pick a pair from a group.

 

[SharkLVR09]

I was thinking the very same thing. I just wasn't exactly positive. I've been doing a lot of research on it and really haven't had much luck. I would really like to have 2 of them together.

Just for information purpose. They would be going in my 75G with LOTS of LR.

 

[snorvich]

It is important to introduce firefish early and let them get established with no harassment. They are easily intimidated.

 

[SharkLVR09]

That's no problem. I currently have no fish in there. All that is in there is coral. The tank has been running for 6 months with nothing but corals in it. The tank is fully cycled and has a large population of bugs to eat. lol. . .

 

[NatureNerd]

If I remember correctly, standard firefish can sometimes be sexed by the dorsal fin length. Not always 100%, but usually works. Purple and helfrichi can't be done this way. Snorvich has it right, the best way is to watch carefully for a while for two that hang out together. I did this successfully with purple's. It took 15 minutes to be confident I found a pair and it was really hard to keep track of the two I wanted when the guy tried to catch them in a tank with 5 fish in it. I am still not sure I got the two I wanted but, they became a pair.

 

[SharkLVR09]

Very cool to hear. They get along alright. Do yours stick close to each other? Thanks for the info.

 

[snorvich]

Yes, a pair will hang out together, both in the water, and in their sleeping area.

 

[el aguila]

I watched a group of purples at my LFS and had a pair picked out, but when we went to get them out of the tank they were impossible to keep singled out.

I went with a larger one and a smaller one for my 190 which I aquascaped to try to reduce aggression between fish. They hung out together for a couple of months, and I thought that I had a pair. At the end of two months it got pretty ugly. A year later I'm down to one.

 

[Alex_m]

I bought a group of standards 6 total, I have two (I think) formed pairs.....they will hide sleep and swim together constantly .....Hopefully the two pairs dont intimidate the remaining two to their death.... I have tons of rock so hopefully not

 

[el aguila]

I meant to say, if you want to try and pull a pair out of a tank of several firefish in an LFS. You may need to think outside of the box a little - be prepared with something to divide the tank (piece of acrylic, etc) so that they do not get mixed up.

 

[NatureNerd]

I meant to say, if you want to try and pull a pair out of a tank of several firefish in an LFS. You may need to think outside of the box a little - be prepared with something to divide the tank (piece of acrylic, etc) so that they do not get mixed up.

Good advice!

 

[SharkLVR09]

I checked out a LFS Yesterday evening and found 2 purple Firefish in a tank together. They were the only 2 and they were staying side by side. No fighting or anything. I watched them for close to 15 mins.