Who’s the bully?

[mattroth54]

I’m trying to figure out who’s the jerk. A few weeks back, I added a pair of red firefish. They added some character to my 47g aio. I cannot find one of the firefish, and the other’s dorsal fin is all chewed up. I’m assuming the missing firefish is dead under a rock or something. I’ve never seen much aggressive behavior, as this has been a very chill tank. I did just add a flame angle and small blue hippo. They came out of qt a couple weeks earlier than I’d hoped due to the flame not eating. The two of them have only been in the tank for a couple days. The flame seems to be picking at rocks and looks really healthy. The hippo has looked great and been a pig from the start. Again, I’ve not seen aggression from anyone.

Other tankmates:

Pair Bengali cardinals
Pair of clownfish
YWG
Red line wrasse
Blue hippo tang
Flame angel

The clownfish were the first inhabitants, and if I had to guess, the orange one is the culprit, as he sometimes will pick at his maroon buddy. Any other guesses?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’m trying to figure out who’s the jerk. A few weeks back, I added a pair of red firefish. They added some character to my 47g aio. I cannot find one of the firefish, and the other’s dorsal fin is all chewed up. I’m assuming the missing firefish is dead under a rock or something. I’ve never seen much aggressive behavior, as this has been a very chill tank. I did just add a flame angle and small blue hippo. They came out of qt a couple weeks earlier than I’d hoped due to the flame not eating. The two of them have only been in the tank for a couple days. The flame seems to be picking at rocks and looks really healthy. The hippo has looked great and been a pig from the start. Again, I’ve not seen aggression from anyone.

Other tankmates:

Pair Bengali cardinals
Pair of clownfish
YWG
Red line wrasse
Blue hippo tang
Flame angel

The clownfish were the first inhabitants, and if I had to guess, the orange one is the culprit, as he sometimes will pick at his maroon buddy. Any other guesses?

One possibility is that the two firefish didn't get along with each other (often the case). One was killed and the other was damaged.

Look for fin tears/rips on any other fish - if there is none, then I would suspect the firefish.

 

[mattroth54]

One possibility is that the two firefish didn't get along with each other (often the case). One was killed and the other was damaged.

Look for fin tears/rips on any other fish - if there is none, then I would suspect the firefish.

I hadn’t considered that, but that makes the most sense. They sometimes disappeared under rocks or in caves. We watch this tank a bunch and haven’t seen anyone not playing nice.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I hadn’t considered that, but that makes the most sense. They sometimes disappeared under rocks or in caves. We watch this tank a bunch and haven’t seen anyone not playing nice.

I always keep one firefish per tank because 50 years ago I was told they often fight. Trouble is, since I never mix them, I don’t know how common that fighting actually is!

 

[Rollnwthdatide]

That hippo will outgrow that tank within the year, fyi. I had one of the first captive bred hippos. He was an maybe 1.5-2" and by the end of the year he was over 4.5".

 

[mattroth54]

That hippo will outgrow that tank within the year, fyi. I had one of the first captive bred hippos. He was a maybe 1.5-2" and by the end of the year he was over 4.5".

The way he’s eating, he’ll need rehomed in a couple weeks.

 

[Rollnwthdatide]

The way he’s eating, he’ll need rehomed in a couple weeks.

Hippo is an appropriate name for them. Mine was so fat that I think he needed a triple bypass on his heart, lol. Hate i had to sell him when I moved.

 

[mattroth54]

Hippo is an appropriate name for them. Mine was so fat that I think he needed a triple bypass on his heart, lol. Hate i had to sell him when I moved.

I have no problem swapping him out once he’s too big. He’s doing a great job keeping things tidy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

More than once have I had multiple firefish and seen them take each other down, otherwise clowns are my other suspect. Same applies to damsels and chromis