Firefish only comes out to eat?

[Tristan]

So I got a Firefish about a month ago and for the past week and a half, he's been hiding in this hole in the rock and only comes out to eat. For the first 2 weeks he was out in the open and swimming.

It's a 25g tank with a pinkbar goby and a pair of clowns.

Btw, it's the same thing with the goby now as well. Except for the past two weeks. Whenever I would feed the tank, the goby would swim into the water column and eat but now it's starting not to eat as much anymore and staying more towards the bottom.

The two clowns are fine

 

[andys]

It's common. I have 11 of them and they pretty much hide. sometimes they come out and sometimes they don't

 

[jd371]

Same with mine. He was my first fish and always out and about. Fast forward 1 year and 6 fish later, now he hides most of the time and comes out once and a while here and there for a minute or two. Never misses feeding time though, knows what time and is out and ready.

 

[andys]

Same with mine. He was my first fish and always out and about. Fast forward 1 year and 6 fish later, now he hides most of the time and comes out once and a while here and there for a minute or two. Never misses feeding time though, knows what time and is out and ready.

LoL

Mine know exactly what time feeding is hell they all do. there is not 1 fish hiding 15 min before feeding and when done back home they go

 

[stevo01]

They are funny like that. If your firefish should begin missing any regular feedings make sure to get back on and ask for some help. I recently went though this and im confident if i hadnt taken action he would have died. He got a fin rot bacterial infection, and back to 100% now. I did about 6 doses of ruby reef rally. Not saying this is whats happening to yours, just be on point of any new odd behaviors.

 

[wkscott]

What type of clownfish do you have? In a smaller tank, like your 25g tank, they have probably taken it over as their own, especially if they are thinking about breeding. Although you may not be seeing it, clowns can be extremely intimidating and aggressive towards more naturally timid fish like your firefish and goby.

Unfortunately this problem will not go away on its own as clowns tend to get more aggressive as they grow and age.

 

[Deinonych]

It's common. They don't tolerate the slightest amount of harassment from tankmates. I've had mine for over three years and he is usually out front and center. A few months ago, my pink margin wrasse started darting at him every now and then (dominance display), so the firefish went into hiding except at feeding time. The harassment finally ceased a couple of weeks ago and the firefish is back out in the open as usual.

 

[stevo01]

It's common. They don't tolerate the slightest amount of harassment from tankmates. I've had mine for over three years and he is usually out front and center. A few months ago, my pink margin wrasse started darting at him every now and then (dominance display), so the firefish went into hiding except at feeding time. The harassment finally ceased a couple of weeks ago and the firefish is back out in the open as usual.

+1 explained spot on. My wrasse did the same.

 

[Mpierce]

Mine hides too, nothing in particular seems to harass it. Just skittish.