Firefish

Crazy4Coral · 10/01/2009, 09:59 PM

Does anyone know if you can have more then one firefish in a tank?

pmrossetti · 10/01/2009, 10:03 PM

How big a tank?

Crazy4Coral · 10/01/2009, 10:06 PM

125 gallon.

pmrossetti · 10/01/2009, 10:10 PM

I'd try 3.

flying_dutchman · 10/01/2009, 10:23 PM

A pair will even fit in a smaller tank.

wetWolger · 10/01/2009, 10:26 PM

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have been considering multiple firefish also. Can anyone comment on the amount of pods a firefish might consume? I know they don't depend on them, but I figured they may eat them if convenient. How might this compete with a mandarin?

Crazy4Coral · 10/01/2009, 10:32 PM

I would like to put 3 red and 3 purple in my tank what do you think?

lordofthereef · 10/02/2009, 12:31 AM

I haven't noticed my firefish ever eating any pods. never even seems to try and eat anything unless it is feeding time.

acrodave · 10/02/2009, 01:16 AM

the red ones you can keep in a nice sized school...the purple one tend to be a bit more nasty to each other but you have a big tank

The Escaped Ape · 10/02/2009, 01:22 AM

The red ones will be nice to each other when young, but get aggressive as they get older. Actually, from what I've heard it's not a good idea to keep firefish together.

jeff209 · 10/02/2009, 01:40 AM

I have 2 purples in my 70 and they are fine

asonitez · 10/02/2009, 06:47 AM

W/E you do make sure you have a cover of some sort. Firefis are NOTORIOUS Jumpers. I've WATCHED them jump out of the tank hit my canopy and fall back in. Then they did it AGAIN! They like overflows too. I used to have one that would just basically jump into the over flow and play there. When he was tired it would jump back out.

Whisperer · 10/02/2009, 06:50 AM

Not sure if mixing purple and red firefishes is a good idea. I am afraid they will not get along. I also have not seen them eating pods.

sowellj · 10/02/2009, 07:24 AM

I'd like to hear peoples experience with this too. I am currently setting up a 180 and would love to have a couple firefish, but under the impression that it would not work.

DiverJohn101 · 10/02/2009, 09:12 AM

I used to have 2 firefish gobies in my 65 gal. they had no problems co-habitating... I had them for about a year or so, but unfortunately lost them to some sick fish that crashed my tank. As long as you have lots of hiding places for them.. they'll be fine.

hlem · 10/02/2009, 10:32 AM

i had 2 fire, and 2 stripe in a 55 for while =) they even share the same burrows. and eat only stuff i put in at feeding time. dont seem to bother at anything else. just kind sit there.

Peter Eichler · 10/02/2009, 01:08 PM

Firefish in groups will get along for a while, but eventually you will end up with just one or perhaps a pair. Considering how peaceful these fish typically are, it's surpising how relentless their attacks can be against conspecifics.

They're open water swimmers and won't actively hunt "pods" so their impact on the population is minimal.

L98-Z · 10/02/2009, 01:43 PM

I had two... which had I left them together, would have become one. One of mine fought the other anytime he got outside of his hiding spot. This was in a 180 gallon.

Lightsluvr · 10/02/2009, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acrodave

the red ones you can keep in a nice sized school...the purple one tend to be a bit more nasty to each other but you have a big tank

This has been my actual experience from keeping red and purple firefish, both in a nano and later in progressively larger tanks.

The biggest problem with firefish is they will jump.

Good luck.

LL

The Escaped Ape · 10/03/2009, 04:54 AM

From what I remember, firefish will happily live together to begin with and for a while (so if people have owned them for a year, that's what they'll remember), but, like blue chromis, are a lot less peaceable then people think long term. They will happily share a burrow with a Zebra Dartfish (Ptereleotris zebra) though.

Reef Bass · 10/03/2009, 06:30 AM

I have a pair of purple firefish in my 100g. I started with 3 but one of them was very not welcome right off the bat and eventually disappeared. The pair is super cute and clearly are bonded and often act as a unit. They display to each other. When the lights go off they both swim down to a mini cove in a rock where they sleep together. Even a crusty cynical geezer like me has to go "awwwwwww" when I watch them.

I've never seen them go after pods or pick things off rocks. Mine eat bits of flake and pellets either in midwater or from the surface.

Lightsluvr · 10/03/2009, 06:48 AM

Having read the differing experiences expressed above, the OP must be more confused now than when he started the thread...

I guess the bottom line is - some people have had success keeping numbers of Firefish together; others, not so much.

It sounds like an environmental thing(the tank), combined with luck of the draw. I introduced my Firefish all at the same time. They have been moved into progressively larger tanks over a period of two years. I lost one Red to jumping, and a Purple when he was squashed hiding under live rock during a tank move. I have never lost one to any other cause.

Good luck to the OP.

LL

EnglishRebel · 10/03/2009, 06:55 AM

I have two purples (well did have two but the smaller and later addition disappeared after two months), two Helfricks, and two reds. They all get along fine. The purple seems more easily frigtened as he darts for the rocks at the sign of my Magfloat. The others don't care -- I have to shoo them out of the way.

10/01/2009, 09:59 PM	#1
Crazy4Coral Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 59	Firefish Does anyone know if you can have more then one firefish in a tank?

10/01/2009, 10:26 PM	#6
wetWolger Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,955	Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have been considering multiple firefish also. Can anyone comment on the amount of pods a firefish might consume? I know they don't depend on them, but I figured they may eat them if convenient. How might this compete with a mandarin? __________________ cheers, jent d-_-b Current Tank Info: 66gal = 32x24x20

10/02/2009, 01:16 AM	#9
acrodave REEF NERD Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: maryville tn-- work in knoxville Posts: 4,187	the red ones you can keep in a nice sized school...the purple one tend to be a bit more nasty to each other but you have a big tank __________________ Peace,Dave Superman puts on Tim Tebow pajamas when he goes to bed The Heisman as a sophomore nuff said Less technology more biology Tattoos are the only art you can take to the grave Current Tank Info: 26gal bow,20gal mantis tank/fuge150wHQI,20k AB Seio 620 maxijet1200x's 2 on a wave maker. all sps

10/02/2009, 01:22 AM	#10
The Escaped Ape In The Canopy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Taiwan Posts: 1,098	The red ones will be nice to each other when young, but get aggressive as they get older. Actually, from what I've heard it's not a good idea to keep firefish together. __________________ Tom Victoria Concordia Crescit Current Tank Info: Currently tankless

10/02/2009, 01:40 AM	#11
jeff209 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Stockton CA Posts: 1,816	I have 2 purples in my 70 and they are fine __________________ "that fish needs at least a180 gallon to be happy" "so me buying it from a lfs that has it in a 20 won't help" -Jeff Current Tank Info: 120 in the works

10/01/2009, 10:03 PM	#2
pmrossetti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cali. Posts: 3,199	How big a tank?

10/01/2009, 10:06 PM	#3
Crazy4Coral Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 59	125 gallon.

10/01/2009, 10:10 PM	#4
pmrossetti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cali. Posts: 3,199	I'd try 3.

10/01/2009, 10:23 PM	#5
flying_dutchman Moved On Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,319	A pair will even fit in a smaller tank.

10/01/2009, 10:32 PM	#7
Crazy4Coral Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 59	I would like to put 3 red and 3 purple in my tank what do you think?

10/02/2009, 12:31 AM	#8
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	I haven't noticed my firefish ever eating any pods. never even seems to try and eat anything unless it is feeding time.

10/02/2009, 06:47 AM	#12
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	W/E you do make sure you have a cover of some sort. Firefis are NOTORIOUS Jumpers. I've WATCHED them jump out of the tank hit my canopy and fall back in. Then they did it AGAIN! They like overflows too. I used to have one that would just basically jump into the over flow and play there. When he was tired it would jump back out.

10/02/2009, 06:50 AM	#13
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	Not sure if mixing purple and red firefishes is a good idea. I am afraid they will not get along. I also have not seen them eating pods. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank

10/02/2009, 07:24 AM	#14
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	I'd like to hear peoples experience with this too. I am currently setting up a 180 and would love to have a couple firefish, but under the impression that it would not work.

10/02/2009, 09:12 AM	#15
DiverJohn101 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 91	I used to have 2 firefish gobies in my 65 gal. they had no problems co-habitating... I had them for about a year or so, but unfortunately lost them to some sick fish that crashed my tank. As long as you have lots of hiding places for them.. they'll be fine.

10/02/2009, 10:32 AM	#16
hlem Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 91	i had 2 fire, and 2 stripe in a 55 for while =) they even share the same burrows. and eat only stuff i put in at feeding time. dont seem to bother at anything else. just kind sit there.

10/02/2009, 01:08 PM	#17
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	Firefish in groups will get along for a while, but eventually you will end up with just one or perhaps a pair. Considering how peaceful these fish typically are, it's surpising how relentless their attacks can be against conspecifics. They're open water swimmers and won't actively hunt "pods" so their impact on the population is minimal.

10/02/2009, 01:43 PM	#18
L98-Z Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Warner Robins, Georgia Posts: 1,230	I had two... which had I left them together, would have become one. One of mine fought the other anytime he got outside of his hiding spot. This was in a 180 gallon.

10/03/2009, 04:54 AM	#20
The Escaped Ape In The Canopy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Taiwan Posts: 1,098	From what I remember, firefish will happily live together to begin with and for a while (so if people have owned them for a year, that's what they'll remember), but, like blue chromis, are a lot less peaceable then people think long term. They will happily share a burrow with a Zebra Dartfish (Ptereleotris zebra) though. __________________ Tom Victoria Concordia Crescit Current Tank Info: Currently tankless

10/03/2009, 06:30 AM	#21
Reef Bass colors and textures Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Petaluma CA Posts: 6,301	I have a pair of purple firefish in my 100g. I started with 3 but one of them was very not welcome right off the bat and eventually disappeared. The pair is super cute and clearly are bonded and often act as a unit. They display to each other. When the lights go off they both swim down to a mini cove in a rock where they sleep together. Even a crusty cynical geezer like me has to go "awwwwwww" when I watch them. I've never seen them go after pods or pick things off rocks. Mine eat bits of flake and pellets either in midwater or from the surface. __________________ The human desires for instant gratification and immediate problem resolution cannot be satisfied with this hobby. Former president and co-president of the Wine Country Reefers. Current Tank Info: 60 gallons of Scleractinia and Zoanthidae lit w/ LEDs

10/03/2009, 06:48 AM	#22
Lightsluvr Tangaroa to 500 gallons Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 5,855	Confused? Having read the differing experiences expressed above, the OP must be more confused now than when he started the thread... I guess the bottom line is - some people have had success keeping numbers of Firefish together; others, not so much. It sounds like an environmental thing(the tank), combined with luck of the draw. I introduced my Firefish all at the same time. They have been moved into progressively larger tanks over a period of two years. I lost one Red to jumping, and a Purple when he was squashed hiding under live rock during a tank move. I have never lost one to any other cause. Good luck to the OP. LL __________________ Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system. Last edited by Lightsluvr; 10/03/2009 at 07:11 AM.

10/03/2009, 06:55 AM	#23
EnglishRebel Retired Rebel Reefer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Triad NC Posts: 1,902	I have two purples (well did have two but the smaller and later addition disappeared after two months), two Helfricks, and two reds. They all get along fine. The purple seems more easily frigtened as he darts for the rocks at the sign of my Magfloat. The others don't care -- I have to shoo them out of the way. __________________ Alan "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. " Sir Winston Churchill praising those young RAF pilots. August 20th 1940 Click on my name for drop down list and select "Visit EnglishRebels Home Page" for my build thread. Current Tank Info: 60x30x24 200G AO custom glass tank, basement equipment room, 30G and 55G Fuges, LifeReef sump & 30" skimmer.