Exquisite Firefish constantly hiding

[Sobo's Reef]

Several days ago I purchased a nice healthy Exquisite firefish. Maybe 1.5" and fat. Ever since I added him, I think I've seen him out and about once. Otherwise he's hiding behind my rock structure. I have not seen him eat at all when I'm feeding the tank so I'm starting to worry. Any ideas on how to get him out and more active?

 

[eatbreakfast]

What are the other tankmates? Sometimes too much activity can cause them to hide.

Sometimes it just takes them longer to get used to their surroundings.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

2 Chilled frostbite clowns and a fire Shrimp... various Snails/hermits

 

[Sobo's Reef]

The fire Shrimp is actually in the rocks with him but atleast he comes out every now and then

 

[eatbreakfast]

Then it just needs a little more time.

 

[Poseidon84]

how many days is several? i had one hide for 5 days before finally venturing out and eating. try soaking some meaty foods in garlic or selcon to entice eating! you may have to spot feed it but i would just try a normal feeding first. if it was fat and healthy he will be ok for awhile. may i ask if you QT thi fish first? and how did you acclimate it?

 

[Coastie Reefer]

It's extremely common to add any firefish and not even see it for a week or two... to say they are timid creatures is an understatement. Eventually they will settle in and hang out in the open.

 

[brett_schn]

Mine red firefish had hid since I added him. 3 months later and he is just starting to come out when no one is in the room

 

[Sobo's Reef]

I added him about 5 days ago. Acclimation was the drip method, salinity match and temp match. No I do not QT my fish(I know, I know, that's bad) I just simply don't have enough room for another tank as I'm in an apartment.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I added him about 5 days ago. Acclimation was the drip method, salinity match and temp match. No I do not QT my fish(I know, I know, that's bad) I just simply don't have enough room for another tank as I'm in an apartment.

Just an fyi for the future, when receiving shipped fish, a slow drip acclimation can do more harm than good, as it exposes them to ammonia, which can permanently damage the gills.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Just an fyi for the future, when receiving shipped fish, a slow drip acclimation can do more harm than good, as it exposes them to ammonia, which can permanently damage the gills.

How would you acclimate them then? I've always used the drip method and never had any issues

 

[eatbreakfast]

How would you acclimate them then? I've always used the drip method and never had any issues

Acclimate to temp with the bag closed, net out. That's it.

The other thing is to mix a gallon of new water to match salinity of the shipped fish. Put the fish in the new watee without adding any bagged water, then drip acclimate.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

My LFS has their water at 1.020 and mines at 1.026... I'm pretty sure just temp acclimating isn't a wise choice. But then I've never done it that way so who knows

 

[eatbreakfast]

If it's from an LFS drip acclimation isn't a concern, only for shipped fish.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Oh okay. Yeah I rarely get shipped fish. Always go to my LFS

 

[Poseidon84]

Just an fyi for the future, when receiving shipped fish, a slow drip acclimation can do more harm than good, as it exposes them to ammonia, which can permanently damage the gills.

this right here! its in my opinion that you float to temp acclimate about 20 min, then slowly add 1/2 cup of tank water every 5 minutes until the bag is either full or if you have reached 45 minutes. then net them and put them in tank. do not add the water to the DT. this is how i have always done it and never had an issue except for flukes. but that came in from a piece of live rock i had gotten!

 

[Salty1962]

They like plenty of flow. My 2 Nemateleotris helfrichi hang out with each other in the open. Awesome fish.