Firefish missing

arturoo1977 · Mar 13, 2020

Hi all. My firefish has been missing since a week ago. Haven't seen him at all. Not on the floor not dead on sand, anything.
He use to hide in a cave between sand and a rock but nothing there.
So, should I assume is dead?

Greetings

fishguy242 · Mar 13, 2020

have you checked overflows,have dogs or cats?

arturoo1977 · Mar 13, 2020

No other pets inside house. Overflows clear.

jd371 · Mar 13, 2020

Any new additions to the tank that could have spooked him? Mine would hide whenever there was a new addition. The longest was for a whole month when I added the Copperband to the tank; thought for sure he would starve to death, but when he came out again he looked just fine.

Cell · Mar 13, 2020

I would assume dead after a week, but you never know. How big is the tank?

WallyB · Mar 13, 2020

They sometime go into really good hiding. Eat from their hiding place.
I had one in a tank, then he disappeared .
After weeks I assumed he was dead.

9 months later, I was tearing down the tank rocks for rebuild.
Afer all rocks removed, and then all fish, I was about to drain the tank.
There he was. I was stunned!! But Happy!!

Entz · Mar 13, 2020

Yeah they are super good at hiding and can fit in small spaces so it is hard to say. A good CUC would make short work of one. If you have open drains one random thing to check is the sump or in and around mounting arms if they are attached to the tank. Heck if you have lower lights check on top.

Best of luck

arturoo1977 · Mar 13, 2020

Tank is 110G and very light populated, so no problems in that side. He was introduced at same time as a coral beauty (both were in QT at same time with no issues) and he was eating and swimming normally for two weeks before disappearing...

lilgrounchuck · Mar 13, 2020

arturoo1977 said:
Tank is 110G and very light populated, so no problems in that side. He was introduced at same time as a coral beauty (both were in QT at same time with no issues) and he was eating and swimming normally for two weeks before disappearing...

Oh man in a 110 he can be outta sight for as long as he wants! I’ve gone a week not seeing mine in a 50. I wouldn’t give up hope on him yet without a body.

Katrina71 · Mar 13, 2020

+1 on he could be hiding

Slim64684 · Mar 13, 2020

I had a fire fish as one of 2 residents in a 20 long go into hiding for a month. Only other fish was a small 1" clown. Never saw him at feeding time, nothing. Then one day I came home from work and there he was just hanging out. Thinner but fine otherwise.