Need advice about my firefish: Won't come out of hiding and won't eat

[anen]

I've had in my posession a firefish for about 3 months now in a fairly established 20" cube with only 2 other small fish. He was doing great up until last week. Always out, always eating. Then for the past few days he hasn't come out of his dart hole, he also isn't eating. So this morning I tapped on the glass, and I could see his tail moving fast from the back of his dart hole. I thought he might have been trapped somehow, so I lifted up the rock and he went nuts. Swimming erraticly, moving his mouth very rapidly, and then jumped into the sandbed.

Any idea what's going on? I hate losing fish

 

[MCCOOL]

First question would be, what are the other two fish?

 

[snorvich]

First question would be, what are the other two fish?

Exactly. You are describing intimidation, so the question is who or what.

 

[ReeferBill]

Firefish?

Firefish?

Hi Anen ; I agree the firefish is tired of being harrassed by someone in your tank....What else do you have in their ? I have 3 Firefish and now 2 have paired up and are now harrassing the single one...... Maybe I should trade him in before he starves himself to death. Happy Reefing!~!!:eek2:

 

[anen]

One is a chalk bass, the other is a possum wrasse. Actually the firefish is the aggressive on in the tank, he bullys the other guys.

 

[palmer373]

im having the same issue in my tank, only thing that changed when he started hiding is i noticed my blue damsel would swim near him, and veer away. when he did that the firefish bolted back to his hole. i added a coral beauty after this happened but i havent seen him in a few days. ill try a WC to see if its params but nothign else is freaking out and this started before i did the past WC.

i really hope you figure out what is wrong with your firefish, mine used to be out and about a lot! i just wish s/he would swim all over the tank and be up in the water column like ive seen in some other tanks lol. GL

 

[snorvich]

im having the same issue in my tank, only thing that changed when he started hiding is i noticed my blue damsel would swim near him, and veer away. when he did that the firefish bolted back to his hole. i added a coral beauty after this happened but i havent seen him in a few days. ill try a WC to see if its params but nothign else is freaking out and this started before i did the past WC.

i really hope you figure out what is wrong with your firefish, mine used to be out and about a lot! i just wish s/he would swim all over the tank and be up in the water column like ive seen in some other tanks lol. GL

Unfortunately, you are describing intimidation and will almost certainly starve to death. They are VERY shy. A damsel and/or the coral beauty could be the problem. Sorry.

 

[snorvich]

Hi Anen ; I agree the firefish is tired of being harrassed by someone in your tank....What else do you have in their ? I have 3 Firefish and now 2 have paired up and are now harrassing the single one...... Maybe I should trade him in before he starves himself to death. Happy Reefing!~!!:eek2:

The single one will be harassed to death. If your other two are a bonded M + F pair, you will be fine, otherwise, you will end up with one.

 

[anen]

Mine passed away =(

 

[joejoe1055]

sorry for your loss

 

[aquaman05]

So would these be ok in a tank with 2 yellow clown gobies, 2 false perc clown, royal gramma, skunk cleaner and pepp shrimp?

I was going to get 2 of these for my tank.