Stocking List Concerning A Firefish

[juice_1080]

So I never seem to see much information about firefish other than they look really nice. I currently have a 29g tank with a green chromis, a shrimp goby, and 2 false clowns. I am going to be upgrading to a 75g in a couple of months. I was curious if somebody could give me some information on these guys.
The plan for the 75g is to transfer everything I have in my 29g over to it. This will probably be the final stock list (feel free to pick at it, but whats in the 29 is going to stay unless they die or cause too many problems):
2 False Percs
3-5 Chromis
1 Shrimp Goby
1 Kole Tang
1-2 Sally Light Foots
2 Dozen Hermits
2 Dozen Snails
Assorted Corals
Maybe a Carpet Anemone
Do you think this would be ok for 1-2 Firefish? Can you even keep Firefish with each other?
Oh yea and I might throw in a Mandarin if I know I can support him. Or if it will accept frozen.

 

[rcoultas]

the firefish are very peaceful and pretty fish - they would be fine with everything on your list. If you get more than one they must be introduced to the tank at the same time.
Mandarin requires a good pod population as that is the main food source for them and parameters must be good too.
The only thing I don't like about your list is 2 dozen hermits - they may kill the snails. I would go with more snails - perhaps a few different types - and only a few hermits if any.
Also - the carpet anenome is not a good idea in that size tank with the population you are considering

 

[rcoultas]

One more thing... the chromis are schooling fish - but in small numbers they can be aggressive with one another - go with 5-6 of them

 

[juice_1080]

Thank you for the help....I know about the mandarin-pod ordeal thats why I would watch to see how the population is doing. Right now my 29g is swarming with pods but thats probably because all my fish have been in my QT tank for the past 2 weeks going through hypo (had an ich problem).
I currently have about 1 dozen snails and about 1 1/2 dozen hermits. They have taken out like 2 snails but otherwise don't bother them too much. Usually I see them cleaning the snail shells or the other way around.
The carpet was just an idea for the clowns. I had a pink tip hatian anemone that they swam next to but were never brave enough to enter. I wanted to get something that they would play in. I would really like it if they hosted with an anemone.
I know chromis are schooling fish I had 3 of them and they got along just fine(with the exception of the clowns bullying them). Maybe it was because they came from the same LFS tank at the same time and had came into the LFS at the same time as well. Two of them met a powerhead intake so I only have 1 left. (Powerhead intake is now covered) I wasn't sure if this list would be overstocked with 5-6 of them. I thought that it was best to get them in odd numbers too?

 

[rcoultas]

Some might consider it to be overstocked - the kole tang is the only big guy in there so IMO I think you'd be fine and not have a problematic bioload - the snails and hermits basically don't even count towards bioload because their contribution is miniscule.

 

[rcoultas]

If you have good lighting and flow - the only anenome I would suggest would be a BTA or LTA. Pink tip will not host (be hosted) normally and is not very reef compatible.

 

[juice_1080]

when I move up to the 75g the plan is to have 2x250w 14,000k MH and 260w PC Actinics and flow really isn't hard to take care of. Hopefully that will be more than sufficient for lighting

 

[juice_1080]

OK I am bringing this one back to the top because I had another question on Dartfish and I didn't want to start a new thread for the question.
Can Dartfish be mixed and live together peacefully (I am not talking about 1/100 will). I never hear much about these guys ever and I am just curious if it would be wise to put a Red Firefish and a Purple Firefish (Not the Helfrichi). Will they more than likely get along just fine or is this just stupid.
From my understand gobies shouldn't really be mixed but dartfish seem like pretty peaceful fish to me and the only gobies I have seen fight are Shrimp Gobies and that was just over territory and burrows. I don't think that my Shrimp Gobie will really have a problem with the Dartfish either since most of his time is spent hidden in the rockwork motionless. He generally only moves when its feeding time but maybe thats because he doesn't have a shrimp to accompany him.
Anyways back to the question: Purple & Red Firefish together in a 75Gallon Yes or No.

 

[1boatnut]

I have a purple firefish and so does my neighbor.
He introduced his purple and red firefish together,and never saw the red again.
I introduced a red after I already had a purple in the tank,only to find it dead the next day.
Now my purple firefish has found himself a little love hole in the rock and only comes out to feed. So although a beautiful fish,I rarely see it.My neighbors purple stays out and usually in a very small area.
I know this does not truly help,but this is my dealings with firefish

 

[juice_1080]

Originally Posted by 1boatnut
http:///forum/post/2479379
I have a purple firefish and so does my neighbor.
He introduced his purple and red firefish together,and never saw the red again.
I introduced a red after I already had a purple in the tank,only to find it dead the next day.
Now my purple firefish has found himself a little love hole in the rock and only comes out to feed. So although a beautiful fish,I rarely see it.My neighbors purple stays out and usually in a very small area.
I know this does not truly help,but this is my dealings with firefish
So you and your neighbors experience says they don't do good together? That makes it 2 for 2 on the bad idea side.
Doesn't sound like I should mix them then. I will just stick with 2 of the same species.

 

[big]

I have heard others say there Purples hid a lot .
Mine spend almost all the time in the front center area of the tank headfirst into the current looking for food to drift by.
But I do think the only way to put more than one in is all at once.

 

[juice_1080]

I know I can put 2 Purples or 2 reds in at the same time and they should be fine. What I am wondering is if it is possible to put 1 purple and 1 red in and have them get along together. I know gobies have troubles getting along together if say you throw two different shimp goby species in, but I didn't know if it was the same with dartfish since they aren't like a goby (close relatives) and seem really peaceful most of the time.