Shy Firefish

[massive attack]

I've got 1 firefish 1 and half weeks ago and all it seems to do is hide all day long in the liverock. When I first got it, it was out and about, but after a couple of days it was hiding all the time. Is there anything I can do to encourage it to come out? Would it enjoy the company of another firefish?
Thanks, Mike

 

[fat_ed]

Firefish are funny little creatures. I've had mine for about 4 mos now, and for the better part of those four months he slowly overcame his shyness and was out and about all day with a clown and a damsel. This weekend I introduced a flame angel and now he's back in hiding again. I've watched him closely when he does venture out, and he seems to hate being "snuck up on" from behind by the angel. This usually leads to him going into hiding for an hour. I'm considering closing off the angels access to the tunnel that allows him to sneak up on the firefish w/ a piece of live rock. I'm a little hesitant that this will impair water circulation, but I do want the firefish to feel comfortable.
In your case, I would just continue to wait unless you can identify something in the tank that is making him ill at ease. Let me know if you figure something out.

 

[jacrmill]

firefish do very well in pairs. but give it a little time yet. i mean its going to take time for him to get used to his new home. what i tend to do is be out and about while my fish are eating. when i hadnt fed them and i would move around in the room near the tank they would dart back in the hiding spots. but i would feed them and they would stay out so they could eat. well i started moving around while they were eating, and they kinda got used to me moving around, and stay out alot more now. just an idea maybe you could try, but really it just takes time.

 

[pufferlover]

I have always found that they do better and are more active in pairs. Once I bought 3 and after a few days one was dead and the other two became a pair and lived a happy life. Getting a pair is hard to do one at a time as I always look for 2 that are hanging together at the store. Some stores will pair them and sell them as pairs. Otherwise alone it can end up being a shy fish and that is something that will be hard to change. They are so shy I have lost 2 in my reef since I set it up (they were a pair) and as each one died I didn't even realize it since I was so unaware when they came out anyway (they died a few months apart and I never found a body but they just diappeared at some point).

 

[perps]

I've had simuliar experiences with my fire fish. I brought three.. and one died a month later.. two of them lived happy.. but the little one was scared of everything.. the bigger one had some balls on him.. he use to swim around with the rest of the fish in my tanks. koran angel, 2 scats, 1 dominoes, goby,blue tail damelse.. But they died onwe day due to overheating.. i brought two more and these guys do run from nothing. they just loook @ the other fish.. Like to say i aint movin buddy.. so beat it!!