Tough crowd

[Syris]

I have a purple firefish thats been in my fuge for 3 weeks now fattening up. I think its time to add him to the main tank but is he ready?

In the one corner we have "clownie" a 4yr old, 2.5", mean SOB, bites the hand that feeds him, percula clownfish.
In the other corner we have "big mamma" a 3yr old, 2.5", eating machine no pod left untouched, strawberry psuedochromis.

Both of these contenders have been known to chase and hunt down any new additions, hence the there has been no new fish addtions in a long long time. Oh except "george" a 3" hippo tang, but hey whos gonna mess with a hippo right?;)

So any recommendation on adding "nametobedeterminedatalaterdate" firefish?

I was thinking using a clear plastic specimen container I have and drilling holes in it. Then placing it in the main display with the firefish in it. Maybe they would get used to him then?

Any other ideas?


(dissclaimer: no animals will actually be hurt in this event. In case of squabbling the firefish will be placed back in the FUGE)



Can you tell its slow today and its Friday :D Im bored too:crazy1:

[Auberon]

You could name him Auberon'sFutureGiveAwayFish :)


....tough crowd alright!

[Armando]

I did not quarantine my purple firefish and he did fine. I got him in pretty bad shape but now he is very healthy pic here (http://mysite.verizon.net/armandoneves/images/firefish.jpg) . Not sure if the crowd was "agressive" at that time maybe not (Hippo, Tomato pair, Orchid dottyback, RIP Jawfish, Copperband butterfly)

[howman]

i had a strawbery pseudochromis once

he killed all my cute fish and small shrimp


i gave it away for free..
it took me a year to get the monster out of my tank

most viscious thing i ever saw

[denvig]

I have two purple firefish with two Ocellaris that are all doing great. A third purple firefish I think would go nice with the group:lol: However I think the clear tank idea Is a good one.

[Sea Serpent]

Frankly, IMO, the firefish doesn't stand a chance. They are very timid fish. It will either "lock" himself into a bolt-hole, or will jump. Either way, he will die.

I would not add him at all. I would find a suitable home with less aggressive fish. I fear that he will be picked on and chased.

Just my 2 cents.

[Syris]

Either way, he will die

Gee, can ya sugar coat it a little next time.:rolleyes: ;) You are probably right but thats what I'm afraid of.


Thank you all for your experiences/replies.

I still think I'm going to try the clear plastic container thing. I do feel I have a slim shot after Ifrag reply. He has similiar fish (IRC those orchid dottybacks can be agressive)

I will make sure I keep a close eye on things and if it doesn't look good I may need to find the firefish a new safer home.

Thanks.

[Sea Serpent]

Syris, you are right - I should have been a little more tactful. It is just that I had one in my Sea Horse tank - you can't get any more tranquil than that. He jumped. I was so sad. I also tried one years ago in my 72 with a clown - he got so scared that I never saw him again . .. never found his body . ..

These little guys are so beautiful ... . but they are big scaredy-cats.

Good luck - maybe you will have better luck.

P.S. - sorry for being "grouchy".

Paula

[Keith Sheridan]

I got one, QTed him, then placed him in the main tank. I never saw him after placing him in. They are known to hide and starve themselves to death. He was in the tank with 2 ocelaris clowns, both new and passive at the time, a sunrise dottyback, and a snowflake moray. Thing is he was so scared being in the tank he never came out of hiding. He didn't fight with any of the other fish, I don't even think the others knew he was in the tank. I added him at night, watched him hide, next morning, not a trace. I highly doubt he was eaten by the moray, the snowflake is a crustacean eating species and has been reletively harmless while in the tank.

As for ifrags experience, I would be curious to know when the fish were added, their sizes then and how large his tank is. If he had the firefish before the others and his tank is larger than I say you have no chance.

On another note, the sunrise dottyback, the orchid dottyback, and the strawberry dottyback are considered the more docile of the dottyback family per Scott Micheal's "Aquarium Fish".

[Kevk]

If you put him in the tank make sure you have a very good cover. It is only a matter of time before it will try and "jump" to escape the aggressive fish. It took me a month to find the body.:eek1:

[one eye]

I tried the speciman container route when I was trying to add a small Maroon clown to mate with a larger female. After a couple days she stopped raming head first into it, I let the small one out for short intervales. He was being chased so much I think he liked being netted and put back in the container. After about a week I let him out and he stayed out. Never saw him again. I wish you better luck.

[The Perfect Pet]

You might really want to consider leaving him in the Fuge or finding him a good home. That Pseudochromis will deffinately mess him up. It may not be easy to get him out of your tank, without tearing it up, once he is in there.

FWIW, IME, Pseudochromis are very aggresive and territorial fish (all of them) The least aggressive is the Fridmani or Orchid Dottyback. But these guys can still be a bit on the nippy side to smaller or wimpy fish. Just the bully nature of a Pseudochromis, I guess. I have watched both Sunrise and Strawberry Pseudochomis, pick on Firefish, Blennies, and Gobies.

My only advise, get rid of the Clown and the Pseudochromis. Firefish are much better anyway. But then again I am biased. I love Dartfish of all kinds. I actually have a Helfrich's Firefish.

-B-

[denvig]

As I said I have two purple firefish with two Ocellaris with no problem at all. The firefish are out all the time and swimming with the Ocellaris and have never tryed to jump. However I have a cover on the tank. Maby i'm just lucky???? But I think having a Pseudochromis would be another story.

[papafish34]

Syris (and all),

Something to consider with the dartfishes is that they are deep water fish not necessarily accustomed to the bright lights of our reef tanks. The depth range for N. decora is 25 to 70 meters. Even in my 1000g I have not had great success with any of the Nemateleotrids (tried both purple and red firefish). Though we have had good luck with Ptereleotris zebra (Chinese zebra goby) they are shallow water fish and school. I'm not saying it can't be done just I've had no luck.

I've never had a real problem with dottybacks but then again fish don't read the books, meaning they don't know that they are "peaceful species"

As for the clown...ever tried a mate for what probably is a "her", might calm her down and get some of that agression channeled into more acceptable behavior.

Lastly the clear container is a great idea.

Good luck - Brian

[Keith Sheridan]

The only thing I am wondering...
is when we get to see the 1000g on a tank tour?

[papafish34]

Originally posted by Keith Sheridan
The only thing I am wondering...
is when we get to see the 1000g on a tank tour?
It is open to the public :D
I'm working on some possibilites and will communicate those through Moe when/if I can get management to agree.

[Greg Hiller]

Denvig,

>I have two purple firefish with two Ocellaris that are all doing great. A third purple firefish I think would go nice with the group<

If you've had the two together for a while they are a pair. If you add another he/she will be toast.

I agree with Sea Serpent, the firefish needs a very quiet tank.

[denvig]

:) Actually I was only kidding about the third. I do like the two I have now and want to add something different (and peaceful) next.:rollface:

[Syris]

Well so much for that.
Saturday I put the firefish in the drilled out plastic specimen container and then into the main tank. The other fish were curious but no major events.
Come Sunday evening, when the lights come on, there was no sign of the firefish in the specimen container:eek1: Checked the LR and floor (even though my tank has a hood) for a while but nothing. I then noticed the firefish wedged in between a powerhead and the glass at the top back corner of the tank. And he was still alive:D Must have jumped but landed in the tank. I would have thought the firefish would have hid in the LR. Maybe "bigmamma" psuedochromis persuaded him otherwise;)
I was able to net him, scared him right into the net that its, and placed him back in the fuge.

I would still like to add a smallish fish to the main tank. Is this not going to be possible w/ the psuedocrhomis? Should I get rid of the psuedo... and put the firefish in the main tank then? I can't put the pusedo.. in the fuge, she'll eat every pod in there:lol:

[Keith Sheridan]

How did the fire fish get out of the container?


You could try a hawkfish, they should be able to hold there own and not be a bully. Heck maybe a damsel, some are very cool fish... as juveniles.

Another thing to take in account fish are more likely to bother fish a that are similar in color, shape, and behavoir. The dottyback is a colorful, somewhat elongated, mid water column swimmer. All of which the fire fish are also. A Hawkfish has different colorations, bulky builds, and are perchers for the most part.

Maybe a shrimp goby of some kind, as it will stay in the substrate mostly.

[Syris]

How did the fire fish get out of the container?

He must have been spooked and jumped out but landed in the tank due to the hood. My 2yr old son has a tendency to whack the glass sometimes:rolleyes:

So a Flame hawk should do well right? Always liked those. The only drawback to a flame hawk that I know is to keep them out of tanks with shrimp. Thats not a problem for me as I have no shrimp in my tank.
How are Flame hawks attitide wise? Do they disturb the tank much? (ex knock frags over all the time)

Thanks

[mojo215]

I have one. He lives in a rock. Comes out only when I feed. He is so cute. As soon as he smells the food you can see part of his head and then he darts in and out of the rock getting pieces of food. Thank goodness he picked a rock so that I can keep an eye on him. However, I also have a very peacful tank. No one will hurt him, he just doesn't know that. It's been a few months now.

:p

[Syris]

Update

Got a flame hawk from Aqua Addicts today. Very healthy looking and eating. Placed him right in the main tank after acclimating. The psuedochromis went after him right away.:mad: After a couple nips the hawk dished a little back:D
Been a couple hours and seems to be settling down. Psuedo loosing interest (like most bullies do when you fight back:lol: )
I think the hawk will do fine and fit in well.
The purple firefish will stay in the fuge, much calmer in there.