Looking to add my last fish next week

[LordHelm]

I have a 45 gallon aquarium and looking to add my final fish next week or two. I have two ocellaris clownfish added about a month ago. I added a goby firefish yesterday. I was shocked that he never hid. He has been out and about from the minute he was in the take. He did find a place at night. I checked on him when the lights were off.

Now I did have a 'peaceful' damselfish, but yet I had to set up a trap and get him out of there prior to adding the firefish. He was attacking clowns and snails. Careful to anyone looking to add the Blue Sapphire Damselfish. He is not peaceful at all. LFS took him in to put in their frag tank and said that some say he's peaceful, but not in reality.

So I am looking for something to add to these 3 fish that will be a good companion. I am writing this because of what my fish and I went through with the damsel. I do love the royal gramma but do see some conflicting info on them with a firefish.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I’d go with a sand sifting goby (if you have sand) or another goby! You do have to make sure they don’t starve/bury food in the sand.

 

[LordHelm]

I’d go with a sand sifting goby (if you have sand) or another goby! You do have to make sure they don’t starve/bury food in the sand.

Thank you. And to confirm I can't add another variation of a fire fish. I like the Helfrichi Firefish. I see conflicting info on keeping more than one firefish of different variation.

 

[i cant think]

Thank you. And to confirm I can't add another variation of a fire fish. I like the Helfrichi Firefish. I see conflicting info on keeping more than one firefish of different variation.

It’s not recommended. Fire fish aren’t all communal and in many cases they will kill eachother.

I also don’t recommend a sand sifting goby. These are large and active, they also need a tank where they can’t decimate the sand bed of life in a short time span, I personally think they’re best left for 4’+ tangs with Atleast 2 inches of established sand bed.

Don’t rush to get your last fish. Wait and see, when you see your final fish you just know. It’s a weird feeling to describe but you do just know when you’ve found the right fish.

 

[LordHelm]

So my fire fish passed last night. 2 nights ago I saw him flashing. I checked water and ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10-15. PH was about 8-8.2. Watched him like a hawk yesterday (luckily the tank is next to my desk) and didn’t see any flashing and nothing abnormal. My corals are doing good with Duncan’s growing new heads. Clownfish seem happy. Snails are out and about. One last thing I can add is that I added a new wave maker a few hours before he was flashing and was kicking up a decent amount of debris and sand.

So what do you think? Bad luck and he came sick? Something wrong with tank? I plan to do a water change tomorrow and clean up the sand because I didn’t realize the debris on the bottom until I turned the fan on.