Skinny firefish

[Ericwm]

My firefish went into hiding 2 weeks ago and I am not sure why. My parameters are good, just checked them today. Ammonia 0, nitrate 5 ppm, nitrite .01 ppm, phosphates 0, salinity 1.024 and a ph of 8.2. I bought a fairy wrasse today to try and draw him out and it worked for a minute, he was way to skinny. He tired and went back into hiding, does anyone know how I can get him to eat? I need help, I don't want to loose him.

 

[Beengirl]

What are you feeding? My Firefish only eats tiny food, especially loves the frozen cyclopeeze stuff, but also likes brine and flakes that are crumbled into tiny bits. I would try turning off all the PH and filter, everything. Then use a turkey Baster and put some of this tiny food right into the hole of the burrow. You obviously won't be able to see it eat, but hopefully it will. Wait a few minutes and then turn PH and stuff back on. Do this everyday. Hopefully it's not too late for your fishy.

 

[Ericwm]

I tried feeding him in his hole today and I hope he ate it all. He came out for about thirty seconds and ate a couple bites. I hope I can get him through this. He is so pretty and I really like him.

 

[Beengirl]

Glad to hear he ate something!! Hope he keeps it up! fingers crossed!

 

[Ericwm]

I haven't seen him today and didn't yesterday either. I'm guessing I lost him. Does anyone know why he might have starved? Could it have been he didn't see any other fish out swimming so he thought there was a predator near by? That was the theory the guy at my LFS had.

 

[Keithhjs]

What other tankmates does he have? Mine used to stay out all the time until my tangs got a little bigger and made him hide.

 

[Ericwm]

He was friends with my 6 line wrasse but he died a while back and I couldn't figure out why, then my fire fish went into hiding. He came out a bit later then I added an occilaris clown who is about 1" long. They were fine for a week or so then my firefish went into hiding again, two weeks later now and I think he is dead. I added a fairy wrasse to try and draw the firefish out, I have heard and read that they are more prone to stay out if there are active fish swimming about. The wrasse never had any interaction with the firefish but he did come out once I added him. I'm guessing it was just to late and he didn't have any energy to swim and eat.

 

[Ericwm]

He is gone. I just caught my CUC working on his skeleton. Thanks for the advice anyway. I probably could have saved him had I not gone on vacation while he was in hiding.

 

[Beengirl]

Sorry he didn't make it.