Purple Firefish

[furyofthegnomes]

I got my firefish about five months ago now and he was chased by my red-line wrasse a bit when I put him in, so as you can imagine he hides all the time like yours. Mine will pop out when I feed and I'll squirt some mysis over by him. Well recently he's started coming out more and venturing further from his cave (the red-line leaves him alone now). What I'm saying I guess is, make sure he gets enough food to stay healthy and don't give up hope on him. I squirt the mysis a little further from his home now and make him come out further now that he's getting comfortable.

 

[PeterG]

Yay! Finally a thread where I can make a relevant contribution. I've got a purple Firefish who hangs out in the center of the tank all day. He, along with a pair of regular Firefish, does retreat into hiding once the lights dim in the evening. My Six-line Wrasse darts in and out of the rocks and doesn't bother anyone. Got them both on 9/23 so in tank for approx 6 wks.
Bought a pair of the Firefish and found one of them dead in the claws of an Emerald Crab three days later. The other one looks happy while the crab now lives in the sump.

 

[Reef4Rose]

I just purchased 2 purple and 3 red. Both sets were in same tank at 2 different fish stores. The reds are cool. They hang out together and venture around. The 2 purples went into hiding. Fortunately I’ve seen them both eat I think. Maybe just one of them? When they come out they seem fine and when a fish comes near back to hiding. I guess we can only appreciate them when they want to eat.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I just purchased 2 purple and 3 red. Both sets were in same tank at 2 different fish stores. The reds are cool. They hang out together and venture around. The 2 purples went into hiding. Fortunately I’ve seen them both eat I think. Maybe just one of them? When they come out they seem fine and when a fish comes near back to hiding. I guess we can only appreciate them when they want to eat.

Firefish are not the friendliest to other firefish, purple fire fish especially. They are peaceful and even skittish on their own with other species, though my purple definitely on occasion tells my clown “your too close”. But they are quite adept at killing their own kind. 2 can be kept in a tank but only if are a mated pair. Unfortunately i dont think anyone can sex these fish, so successfully you would have purchase 2 that paired already.

I would return all but one of the fish, so you dont come home to a GoT episode.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Firefish are not the friendliest to other firefish, purple fire fish especially. They are peaceful and even skittish on their own with other species, though my purple definitely on occasion tells my clown “your too close”. But they are quite adept at killing their own kind. 2 can be kept in a tank but only if are a mated pair. Unfortunately i dont think anyone can sex these fish, so successfully you would have purchase 2 that paired already.

I would return all but one of the fish, so you dont come home to a GoT episode.

Agreed. This has been my experience as well.

 

[chris k.]

I have a 6line and a purple firefish, they dont bother each other. However the firefish doesnt come out till the lights come on. And he does hang close to his safe spot. I named him beaker (reminds me of the Muppet)

 

[rkpetersen]

I foolishly bought 3 purples at the same time once. Within 24 hours, one of them had harrassed the other two to death. :mad: The victor is still with me, holding his own against much more boisterous tank mates.

 

[Reef4Rose]

I guess community fish doesn’t totally apply. Fortunately the 2 purples I bought were together and as far as I know are held up together. As long as they don’t kill any of the reds. Don’t think they have even seen the reds. Beautiful little fish when I happen to see one.