I miss my firefish!

[justanotherfishhead]

I never see my purple firefish anymore :( I mean, I can see him if I look in the cave he hides out in, and he comes out for only a few seconds to eat. But he used to be out all the time. It seems as I added more fish, with each fish I added he would be scared and hide for a few days, especially when I added my foxface and tang. Then just started being out less and less. Even though the new fish paid no attention to him. When he does come out for a few seconds for food I don't see anyone chase him, it just seems he's intimidated by all the fast swimming during feeding time.

Anyone else have their firefish go into hiding after adding more fish? Did they ever start coming out again? I'm wondering what would happen if I got another one, although that's probably a bad idea because they might fight?

 

[Aquarian]

Fire fish do best in pairs or small schools. Another one may actually help relax the poor guy.

 

[justanotherfishhead]

Anyone ever added one after one has been established a long time? I thought I heard they would fight? But at this point I never see him anyway, so what do I have to lose? It's a six foot long tank, I hope if they did fight they would claim their own territory on opposite ends and not kill each other.

 

[BL1]

Live Aquaria says

This member of the Gobiidae family is generally not aggressive towards other fish except those of its own species. However, a mated pair can live peacefully together.

I have read others says pairs should do well. But my own experience is the same as LAs warning.

 

[Civicdemon]

I have seen people have good luck with odd numbers, Me my self I had 5 at one time because when I had 2 they would fight, then they broke of into 2 sets one set had 3 and the other was 2 . they would not all hang out the set of 3 would chase of the other 2 when ever they got to close to there side of the tank. now I just have 2 and they are good together, One got eaten by CB shrimp and the other 2 just disappeared thru the last year.

 

[justanotherfishhead]

Hmmm. Maybe if I got a pair they either wouldn't bother the one hiding in his cave, or they would encourage the existing one to come out.

Would the interaction be the same or possibly less hostile with a different color of firefish? I have the purple and was thinking of getting the regular (pink/white).

 

[Civicdemon]

I have read that the purple are more aggressive. So I would provably get another purple.

 

[Aquarian]

I added two purple to a tank with one already in it. With no problems at all. They schooled and were always together.