Who knows about firefish?

[jmm]

I've had a pair of firefish for nearly four years now. They live in the same hole, seem to be in love, and one occasionally has a big belly for a day. They always come out to eat but they stay in the bottom front corner in about a one foot cube area, never straying far. They wait for the circulation pumps to bring food to them.

Well, that is until today. One is still down there, eating what comes to him. The other is swimming at the top of the tank and can't be scared back down. It dodges the other fish that come around but doesn't try to go "home."

It looks okay except for a little cloudiness on the pectoral fins. Surprisingly, it ate when I fed the tank, though the current up at the top is stronger than it is used to and it missed a lot of the food it tried for.

Anybody know how long these fish live? Do lovers quarrel sometimes?

The tank hasn't had fish or corals added in more than two years. It is 210 gallons.

 

[scooter31707]

Don't know how many years they live or the bonded question, but I can tell you that mines exhibits the same behavior you described. It does not venture far from it's little cave and does not case food.

 

[jmm]

Don't know how many years they live or the bonded question, but I can tell you that mines exhibits the same behavior you described. It does not venture far from it's little cave and does not case food.

That's the way mine have acted for the last four years. However, today they are separated and one is fighting the current at the top of the tank. It's never been up there before.

 

[ThRoewer]

If I remember correctly the lifespan of these fish is about 3 years, give or take a bit. So it may just be old age.
Keeping them for 4 years is definitely an achievement.

Though, cloudy fins could indicate a disease. Did you add anything wet recently?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[suta4242]

Don't know what the natural lifespan is but I kept my last fire fish pair for 6 years and they didn't die from old age.

Discussing this with other locals there are people who have kept them longer, so not sure what's going on but unless they were already old at time of purchase, it's unlikely to be old age.

That said, I know of instances typically after a year or so, a bonded 'pair' have argued and split up, living at separate ends of a big tank. In this case the original fish were juveniles and possibly hung out together for different reasons. In your case it sounds like the dominant fish is staying in its usual spot, and possibly not allowing the other to return. Don't know how often this happens with true pairs in captivity, or what the triggers are for it?


:wave:

 

[jmm]

If I remember correctly the lifespan of these fish is about 3 years, give or take a bit. So it may just be old age.
Keeping them for 4 years is definitely an achievement.

Though, cloudy fins could indicate a disease. Did you add anything wet recently?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

There has been no disease ever in that tank. Sometimes corals die but no fish have.

I haven't added any thing for years. Everything grows and fills the spaces. And fish are hard to add due to established fish's aggression.

 

[2smokes]

They have short lifespan.N decora dies like in 2-3 years and N magnifica lives a litle longer.

 

[piusma]

That is terrible, I kept one for 3+ years and all of a sudden it's eating slow, fins got smaller and less active it sleeps a lot and I couldn't figure out what is wrong with it!

I guess I'm going to need to find a replacement fish that would live longer!

 

[jmm]

Well good news I guess. Late in the day it was back in its cave, looking out at the other one eating.

And this morning they both came out to eat and acted normal, staying in their bottom right, front comfort zone. As best as I could tell, the ragged fins were restored, but with the highly active feeding behavior I couldn't be sure.

I'll keep you up to date.

 

[jmm]

I've stopped worrying. It seems like everything is okay again.