Helfrichi Firefish aggression

[posse709]

Does anybody have firsthand experience with Helfrichi Firefish aggression towards each other?

 

[PDR]

Welcome to R2R!!!

I have kept a helfrichi before and it was not aggressive towards any other fish. That being said, firefish will not tolerate each other long term in such a small space unless they are a bonded pair.

It looks like the one in the acclimation box has some nipped fins. Was that from the other firefish? If the two in the tank are bonded, unfortunately, they will kill the new helfrichi (or any other firefish you add).

 

[Big G]

+1 ^^^ ditto

 

[posse709]

I figured so, what if I were to add a second bonded pair would the pairs leave each other alone?

 

[PDR]

I figured so, what if I were to add a second bonded pair would the pairs leave each other alone?

No, they would still fight.

 

[Zakery Murray]

Well everyone already said it, but I agree, they need to be bonded.

 

[posse709]

Thank you @PDR

 

[Zakery Murray]

What are you going to do with the 3rd one?

 

[posse709]

@Zakery Murray he’s for sale

 

[PDR]

Where are you located?

 

[posse709]

Fountain Valley, CA

 

[JMoody]

That is too bad, such a good looking Helfrichi. I just had one jump out of my Red Sea 170, even with a custom lid, sometimes you just can't win.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

!!! Welcome to R2R !!! I like the Helfrichi but had one of the regular firefish before and he jump out thru the hole of the egg crate cover I made and I scare to get another one.

 

[posse709]

@spyder813 I have a lid on my tank but sometimes they jump out from the side opening and end up in the middle sump or filter socks once in a while

 

[zoous]

tank too small for three helfrichi. nice fishes.

 

[Jesterrace]

Yup, the general rule with saltwater fish no matter how peaceful they are is that they will not co-exist long term with their own species (or in some cases similar species) unless they are a mated pair.

 

[RedReefer]

Long term they will not coexist in a tank together. I have a buddy that has a 500 gal in wall with two, but they have 500 gal to get away from each other.

 

[Todd A.]

Yeah, I had 5 Fire fish in a 90 gal a few years back, being told odd numbers would lessen the aggression. Not sure about that logic now, but even though I never saw any outward signs of aggression, I started loosing one every few weeks or so. After about a year, only 1 remained. I had no other aggressive fish and am convinced they were picking each other off. I've never had two of the same type of fish since (except clowns) and am hesitant of even having two similarly shaped fish because of aggression. Most (if not all) of these fish are extremely territorial coming from the wild where they had to stake their claim for food and mates. Putting them in close quarters with no where to run amplifies the issues. But every fish is different and there is always an exception to the rule.

 

[Steelersfan]

Even so called bonded pairs will eventually turn on each other, I had a bonded pair from Diver’s Den a few years back in a 200 gallon system. After about six months, the larger one ended up killing the smaller one.

 

[Gareth elliott]

It requires a lot of watching behavior to make sure its a pair.

And as juveniles they are much more inclined to tolerate another competitor. As they sexually mature and that supposed opposite sex is actually a rival male. Id imagine even LA can get this wrong as there is no sexual dimorphism in any of the species and behavior is hard to quantify, especially if the fish are not sexually mature.