Firefish Experience

[Kiko]

Does anyone have experience with firefish?

I would like one more small fish to my 55 FOWLR. Ideally, I would like a fish that hangs out "in" the live rock. Three of my four fish swim out in the open most of the time. The Potter's Angel is the only one that stays low in the tank.

Would a Blenny or a Goby be a good choice? The smaller the better.

 

[fishfirst]

Firefish (fire gobies) like to hang out suspended in your aquarium but have places they swim to when frightened. So you'll see them often but they also use the live rock. Royal grammas are a little more secretive and tend to hide a little more. A list of the fish you have in your tank would give me an easier time with advise though.

 

[Kiko]

2 Percula clownfish, 1 Racoon Butterfly, 1 Potter's Angel.

 

[schoeplein]

I have four firefish gobies in the 150gallon, and yes, they do stay suspended in the middle, clicking their dorsel fins on their half of the tank. If you want something that hovers on the rock, consider a true goby, and not a dartfish variant -- such as a clown goby (probably a green striped) if you want color.

I'd suggest the mandarin dragonette (often referred to as a goby, but is not a true goby) as the coolest fish *EVER*, but you need tons of ripe live rock for it to flourish on -- she climbs up to the top of the stack of live rock and "jumps" during the day. When the night-lights come on, she floats to the top and rides the current along the top of the water. definitely the most interesting fish -- not to mention, personally, the most gorgeous.... and let's not forget, nothing in the 150gallon tank has even touched her. She'll look at her reflection expanding her fins, and pole dorsel fin (shorter than the males, yet still long).. truly beautiful.

 

[c0mf0rt]

If you get a psycho goby they're very similar to the Mandarin but they have bullseyes on 'em.... mine will eat brine and has been doing great in my tank.... he's one of my favorites... always hovering around the rock or glass.......

 

[jenpc]

My bicolor blenny hangs out in my LR. He is very cool to watch, he swims around and backs into the holes in the rocks anywhere he can..he hangs close to the rock though. He is my favorite to watch.

 

[JG]

Scooter Blennies are way cool if you have enough live rock and pods.

JG

 

[austinsdad]

I'd second the bi-color blenny for one that hangs out on the rocks, usually peeking out from a hole. I've got a midas blenny that hangs out on the top level rocks ony where he can see everything. The dragonet mght not be a good choice unless your tank is good and mature with pods to munch on.

Another choice might be a neon blue goby. He'll actually lay on the rocks and the color is nice. It's a cleaner too and will act like a cleaner wrasse at times.

 

[Berzer]

I have a firefish as well as a green clown goby with red stripes. Clown goby does all the sitting. Sometimes he sits on my mushrooms but doesnt bother them.

 

[lando]

I have a purple firefish in QT right now. It will be going into my 12 gal. nano. It has the most increadible colors. Very cool to watch.

 

[Kiko]

It sounds like a goby would be my best bet. The only LFS that I would buy anything from on Maui usually only gets yellow watchman gobies. I already have a yellow fish, and am in the market for something of another color.

Thanks for all of your help folks.

 

[IfoundNemo]

Just bought a Firefish Goby last night. He hangs in mid tank most of the time,and quickly darts into his hiding place if a larger fish comes close to him. He has lots of personality. Cool to watch.

 

[bound_for_obx]

Can you keep multiple firefish in a tank?

 

[schoeplein]

Bound: To answer your question: Yes. I have four regular firefish in the same tank. The tank I purchased them from had about 20 regular, and 6-8 purple all in the same tank. I'm really skeptical of all the notes stating incompatibility between gobies... I haven't seen anything. These fish are too disgustingly peaceful!

 

[bound_for_obx]

I was thinking about eventually adding 2 or 3 into a 75 gal. The only other occupant right now is a single false perc.

Final goal and stocking order:
a pair of false perc's
2 or 3 firefish
1 mandarin
1 yellow tang


But I'm in no hurry and the list, of course, is subject to change.

 

[saltymarine]

I loved my firefish. Great addition to the tank. The bristleworms that were hiding in my live rock mad a mess of him about two months later. I will never forgive those bastards for what they did!

 

[lziarek]

i have a strawberry basslet, it is magenta in color with electric blue rings around its eyes. It explored EVERY single crack, crevice, and cave in the tank. It actually only comes out "in the open" every once in awhile. It seems to be a very inquisitive fish that loves to play in the rocks.

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

be careful with the firefish, they LOVE to go carpet surfing, thats what happend to mine.

 

[bound_for_obx]

I've got egg-crate over the tank.