Helfrichi Firefish aggression

Jesterrace · Mar 21, 2019

Todd A. said:
Yeah, I had 5 Fire fish in a 90 gal a few years back, being told odd numbers would lessen the aggression. Not sure about that logic now, but even though I never saw any outward signs of aggression, I started loosing one every few weeks or so. After about a year, only 1 remained. I had no other aggressive fish and am convinced they were picking each other off. I've never had two of the same type of fish since (except clowns) and am hesitant of even having two similarly shaped fish because of aggression. Most (if not all) of these fish are extremely territorial coming from the wild where they had to stake their claim for food and mates. Putting them in close quarters with no where to run amplifies the issues. But every fish is different and there is always an exception to the rule.

Very true. I am also hesitant to add Fish of similar shape for that reason. It is interesting how people get used to schooling fish in freshwater have a hard time understanding that saltwater fish don't generally co-exist that way. Zebra Barred Dartfish and Scissortails are about the only ones I feel comfortable recommending in tanks of 100 gallons or less.

shred5 · Mar 21, 2019

JMoody said:
That is too bad, such a good looking Helfrichi. I just had one jump out of my Red Sea 170, even with a custom lid, sometimes you just can't win.

Yea firefish are jumpers and probably more than any other fish I have owned.

I used to get splashed all the time by them bouncing off the screen cover.
Always in my overflows too..

posse709 · Mar 21, 2019

Sorry for the late update but after 72 hours of acclimating from this post all 3 have been peaceful together for over 30 days now they all school together and hide/sleep together inside the crevices of my Real Reef rocks. Thanks to @cromag27 The SHU did what it was meant to do.

JMM744 · Mar 21, 2019

posse709 said:
Sorry for the late update but after 72 hours of acclimating from this post all 3 have been peaceful together for over 30 days now they all school together and hide/sleep together inside the crevices of my Real Reef rocks. Thanks to @cromag27 The SHU did what it was meant to do.

You are very luck. I had two, a purple and a red in a 30 cube and the purple always was dominate over the red and eventually the red died. Never saw them fight or chase but the purple always kept the red in the background and monopolized the food. Hope they stay peaceful for you. Love the looks of them and the personality they exhibit.

eatbreakfast · Mar 22, 2019

Update us in 6weeks...

posse709 · Mar 22, 2019

@JMM744 Thank you! @eatbreakfast will do!

LindsayL · Jun 3, 2019

Guys can I just share that I'm excessively annoyed to be finding out about firefish aggression NOW. I've been in the fish hobby for 11+ years now having never heard ANYTHING about aggression from them and finally had the well paying job to afford 4 helfrichi. It's been about 3 weeks and I now have one, never suspecting that HE was the one killing the others and in a desperate attempt to give him a school so he wasn't alone, I just dumped in 4 purple firefish and 4 regular firefish. I feel like I'm about to lose a lot of money