firefish help

[debbie]

Three weeks ago my perc clown died, don't know why as everything in the tank and the reading were all fine.
Now I have my firefish and a yellow watchman goby in there doing just great. My only concern is for the firefish now, it seems to be really spooked, hides behind the rock comes out to feed and darts back.
It was always out and center before the loss of this clownfish.
Anyone have recommendations for me??
10 gal nano tank, 4 yrs old.

 

[michaeltx]

firefish are easily spooked and take time to adjust to the new surroundings when things change. and even though the tank may not have changed that much the inhabitants have change it may be just enough for the fish to feel unsafe for some reason. It will take some time and it should come back out to where it was before the clown died.
Mike

 

[debbie]

Thanks for the reply. I think this firefish is on the decline though, it will not come out and eat at all the past few days.
The watchman goby is out and about, they are so beautiful.
Is there any fish I could add to this tank that would make the firefish more at ease??

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Debbie
http:///forum/post/2573157
Thanks for the reply. I think this firefish is on the decline though, it will not come out and eat at all the past few days.
The watchman goby is out and about, they are so beautiful.
Is there any fish I could add to this tank that would make the firefish more at ease??

Don't add anything right now. Figure out why your clown died and why your firefish doesn't look good. Did you notice anything on the clown's body when it died? How about the firefish? Is he breathing rapidly? What are the water readings? What kind of flow is in the tank?

 

[debbie]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2573163
Don't add anything right now. Figure out why your clown died and why your firefish doesn't look good. Did you notice anything on the clown's body when it died? How about the firefish? Is he breathing rapidly? What are the water readings? What kind of flow is in the tank?
The clown was stuck to the rock by the time I found him. Not much left after the bristleworms were eating it.......

Firefish it not breathing rapidly, just hiding.
Flow in the tank is the same as it has been the past 4 years.
The wathman is very fat and happy, ready for food anytime.
I am going to re-do the water readings tomorrow, they were all perfect the otherday.
My inverts are all fine, no deaths there and the corals are growing like weeds.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Debbie
http:///forum/post/2573174
The clown was stuck to the rock by the time I found him. Not much left after the bristleworms were eating it.......

Firefish it not breathing rapidly, just hiding.
Flow in the tank is the same as it has been the past 4 years.
The wathman is very fat and happy, ready for food anytime.
I am going to re-do the water readings tomorrow, they were all perfect the otherday.
My inverts are all fine, no deaths there and the corals are growing like weeds.
Has your tank had fish in it for the past four years? I remember when you asked about adding the firefish and the goby. I am glad that the watchman is doing so well! How is the other clown?

 

[debbie]

Yes the tank has had fish in it for 4 yrs now.
The other clown had to go to a new home a while ago. You see, idiot LFS folks that special order what they call (black and white perc clowns) for you and come in as SADDLE BACKS I would love to smack them.
I took the fish anyways after much arguing that it was not a perc, thought things would be fine but man was she aggressive to my orange and white perc after a while. So she had to go to a bigger system.
So then here was just the one guy, the orange and white perc. I then bought the yellow watchman goby whom is just soooooo cool and the color I just love it.
The firefish I bought in March, the clown and the firefish were quite cozy and swam together all the time.
The day I found the clownfish dead it was fine in the morning, I did my usual feeding and both ate just fine. That night when I went to feed I could not find the clown, looking all over throught the glass I could not see him. Then I seen the remains of it stuck to some rock and the bristleworms eating it.
From that time on the firefish seems to have gone what I would call crazy. Hides all the time, was coming out for food now it won't so I make sure that some food falls where it hides. I really don't think it will make it either but will just leave it alone and see.
The watchman is out front and center waiting for food. So I don't know what the heck to think of this all. Nothing seems to be wrong with the tank and like I said I will check the readings again tomorrow. Each time I have done them everything checks out fine.
The firefish does not seem to be ill but rather stressed and I don't know if it is from loosing the clownfish or what.
I can say that at times this hobby is very frusterating.
If something happens to the firefish, I will wait a while for sure but what would you suggest I get for this tank??
Don't want to do blennies been there with them.
Don't want to do gobies as I have the watchman
Clowns are getting boring
Any suggestions???
I wish someone would breed a "dwarf yellow tang" I love these fish.

 

[notsonoob]

Mine did the same. We didn't see him when we had the terrorist imperitor juvie in the tank.
He was doing fine for a while and one day, was stuck to the internal overflow vents and died.
But now I realize that it was the new techno terror of my tank. The FEMALE OCELLARIS CLOWN.
I know what you mean about hte LFS idiots. My wife went out for a Royal Gramma and came back with a Bicolor dottyback. Another mean little bugger!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Debbie
http:///forum/post/2573279
Yes the tank has had fish in it for 4 yrs now.
Have you had a problem with keeping fish before?
The other clown had to go to a new home a while ago. You see, idiot LFS folks that special order what they call (black and white perc clowns) for you and come in as SADDLE BACKS I would love to smack them.
I took the fish anyways after much arguing that it was not a perc, thought things would be fine but man was she aggressive to my orange and white perc after a while. So she had to go to a bigger system.
You had the orange and white for awhile before the other? I remember you saying that you had a pair of true percs.
So then here was just the one guy, the orange and white perc. I then bought the yellow watchman goby whom is just soooooo cool and the color I just love it.
They are so great! Did you buy the yellow or the green?
The firefish I bought in March, the clown and the firefish were quite cozy and swam together all the time.
The day I found the clownfish dead it was fine in the morning, I did my usual feeding and both ate just fine. That night when I went to feed I could not find the clown, looking all over throught the glass I could not see him. Then I seen the remains of it stuck to some rock and the bristleworms eating it.
That is pretty darn strange. You saw no signs of illness and it ate that morning?
From that time on the firefish seems to have gone what I would call crazy. Hides all the time, was coming out for food now it won't so I make sure that some food falls where it hides. I really don't think it will make it either but will just leave it alone and see.
He wouldn't die from sorrow. Why don't you think that he will make it?
The watchman is out front and center waiting for food. So I don't know what the heck to think of this all. Nothing seems to be wrong with the tank and like I said I will check the readings again tomorrow. Each time I have done them everything checks out fine.
How old are your test kits?
>The firefish does not seem to be ill but rather stressed and I don't know if it is from loosing the clownfish or what.
It may be somewhat stressed, but not so much to kill it.
I can say that at times this hobby is very frusterating.
If something happens to the firefish, I will wait a while for sure but what would you suggest I get for this tank??
I know it is frustrating. Is there any reason why you haven't upgrade to a larger tank? Ten gallons is awfull small and doesn't give you many fish options.
Don't want to do blennies been there with them.
Don't want to do gobies as I have the watchman
Clowns are getting boring
Any suggestions???
I wish someone would breed a "dwarf yellow tang" I love these fish.

You don't have a whole lot of room in there. Clowns are boring to you and you don't want more gobies or blennies, that doesn't leave a whole lot that will fit in a 10 to be honest.

 

[debbie]

Have you had a problem with keeping fish before?
**Not really, just gobies and blennies I don't find very hardy.
You had the orange and white for awhile before the other? I remember you saying that you had a pair of true percs.
**They were false percs and that is when I first started in this hobby
They are so great! Did you buy the yellow or the green?
**I have the yellow watchman goby, is there a green one??
That is pretty darn strange. You saw no signs of illness and it ate that morning?
**Nope, they both ate and looked good.
He wouldn't die from sorrow. Why don't you think that he will make it?
**He did not come out for food today at all, tonight I cannot see him in the usual spot in the back behind the rock. I will have to take a look tomorrow with mirror.
How old are your test kits?
**Six months
It may be somewhat stressed, but not so much to kill it.
I know it is frustrating. Is there any reason why you haven't upgrade to a larger tank? Ten gallons is awfull small and doesn't give you many fish options.
**Yep, space and cost.
You don't have a whole lot of room in there. Clowns are boring to you and you don't want more gobies or blennies, that doesn't leave a whole lot that will fit in a 10 to be honest.
**I know, it is hard with a tank this size. My mushrooms, toadstool, green star polyps, red open brain, button polyps are just doing amazing and are huge.
**The only thing I have in this tank that has been there for 4 yrs now is my blue legged coral banded shrimp. Have you seen these kind?? They are way smaller than the normal coral banded shrimp, yellow body, blue legs and very long whiskers. Neat shrimp though.
Thanks again for your replies. I will just stick it out for a bit longer and see what happens.

 

[sepulatian]

I'm sorry, I must have been wrong about the percs. You did just say two clowns, not perc clowns. Oops, my fault. Here is one of your previous posts. You did say that you had the two though. It was only at the end of February and you asked about green clown gobies. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/309084/clown-gobies
I am sorry that your firefish is not doing so well. I really don't see why though. It is very odd that the clown ate that morning then was dead. Your test kits don't seem to be that old. Have you brought your water to the LFS for conformation? All of your corals are doing well? You may want to think about keeping a lighter fish stock. A ten gallon should really only house two small fish tops. Let us know how the firefish does. I realy hope that he makes it!

 

[fishygurl]

I am very interested in this too because when i added some new fish i also changed the flow since i started getting some algae on my rocks. to the tank my firefish started hiding just like you are describing(it is 4 inches and i have had it for around a year and a half or so) it was always swimming in the current but ever since i did that it hid i started to think it was dead because it started to stop coming out to eat and it has been a couple months and it is just starting to come out to eat again (the first day i saw it i was shocked i never saw it for months and then it is still there didnt starve or anything! so i think it was getting food that drifted where ever it was hiding but today it came out for like 20 minutes after feeding!!! so i hope it is getting better, now im just worried what it will do in a month or 2 when i switch it to my 125 gallon...

i hope it doesnt hide again...

 

[debbie]

My bad for saying they were percs, just very confusing when I ordered this black and white clown and you don't get what you ordered. Anyhow, I did have two "clowns" but like I said the saddleback had to go.
They are nice fish, but need a big tank.
Yes I did ask about the green clown gobies. But they are just to small so I went with the yellow watchman goby and he is so neat. I love the bright yellow color and the blue spots on the side of his gills.
I did take in a water sample and it checked out fine there too.
This morning the firefish was out and about. As soon as I go to the tank it darts back into the rocks. It looks good though and the food does reach the area that it stays. So weird, I hope it comes out of hiding though to pretty of a fish to hide.
Some say that I should have two of them and they would stay out together. Then I read that two will fight and in a tank of this size I would think they would fight more. Any thoughts??
Not very interesting looking at the tank and all you see is corals and no fish. When the watchman is out he is great and I love him.
The corals you ask are growing very very large. I have some mushrooms the size of the plam of my hand, my toadstool is bout that same size too.
I run just PC lights and changed them a month ago and things have taken off full tilt in there with new lighting. Hard to see live rock for all the corals growing in there.
So I will see how things go, I understand that this is a small tank and fish stock is limited but another small fish that would help bring this firefish out of hiding is something I would love to find.

 

[sepulatian]

I am so glad that the firefish was out! He should be just fine in a few days once he gets used to the other fish not being there. The yellow watchmans are adorable. I love their little face. It is hard to think of a fish that stays small, is not aggressive, and isn't a blennie, clown, or gobie. I was thinking of a wrassie, but they tend to get nippy as they mature. The longfin Fairy only grows to 2.9 inches, but should have a 30 gallon or so tank for territorial reasons. If I think of something I will let you know.

 

[debbie]

Maybe I will just have to bit the bullet and get another clown. They are adorable don't get me wrong.
They are passive in the tank, the firefish and it did really well together swimming all the time.
They are usually small here at the LFS which is good so maybe this is what I will get.
Need something swimming around in there to show the firefish all is fine...

 

[debbie]

Sepulatian or anyone else that would like to respond.
In this tank, my LFS recommended another red firefish in this tank as she says they are schooling fish and do better in pairs.
Any feedback??
She also said that a Cherub Angelfish would do well in there too, but I know for a fact that they need a much bigger tank.
Or another Perc clown would be my only other recommendation without going to more gobies.
So can anyone please comment about adding another firefish or a clownfish.

 

[sepulatian]

Two firefish work if they are already a pair or in a large tank. You cannot add another now. The one that you have will fight with the new one. I would definately say no on the angel. The tank is just too small. A clown would work.

 

[debbie]

Thanks for your replies. I guess I don't really have much option here. Don't get me wrong I do like clowns alot jut wanted something different.
That is what I thought about the second firefish.
I would never dream of an angel in a 10 gal.
This place whom I deal with mostly is getting really bad. Her prices are way up there, for percs now she is charging $39.00 CDN and the other LFS whom I deal with too charges $19.00 CDN big difference.
She says because they are captive bred that boosts the price up. I hate to tell her but they have been captive bred for somtime now.
We cannot ship anything from the USA, so we do pay more here for our stock but if you shop around you can get some not to bad prices.
Thanks again, will let you know what happens here.