New Firefish acting weird

[lhetes_tinyreef]

I recently purchased a purple firefish from my local fish store 3 days ago, but these last two days he has been acting weirdly. I don’t know if it’s just stress or a disease (my two clowns are acting completely fine) all day today he has been laying on his side behind a rock in my tank, with his fins pressed to his body and rapid gill movement. He ate a lot of live baby brine shrimp this morning, but not the second time I fed the fish. Can someone tell me if I should be worried?or is this normal new firefish behavior?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That does not sound good. Did it act o.k. on day one and then go downhill?
How is the water testing out?
Can you post a video of it?

That it ate some baby brine is a good sign though.

Jay

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

He’s been propping himself up with his fins on the ground since the second I put him in behind that same rock, but he only just started to lay on his side. He’s propped up now with his little fin sticking up, but he’s been acting like this some way or another for 3 days now. I moved some of the rock scape to allow for more hiding space. And this is a 20 gallon nano tank

 

[jabberwock]

I would wager the clowns are after it.

 

[dkelley]

I would wager the clowns are after it.

I agree, clowns are pretty territorial and that's a small tank.

 

[jabberwock]

I agree, clowns are pretty territorial and that's a small tank.

Clowns are downright evil...

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Clowns are downright evil...

But we love them!!

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

I was talking to a buddy about it. Said they should be fine in about 2 weeks

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

But at the same time my clowns are not that big yet. I’ve never seen them actively bully the firefish (but they could behind the scenes) and maybe the fire fish perceives them as a threat and he is scared. My water conditions are perfectly normal as well. It could be that he’s new to the tank and settling in, but I’ve never heard of a firefish doing this. I’ll send a video when I get home

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

But we love them!!

Speak for yourself.

 

[Idech]

My firefish stays in his cave a lot. In the beginning he wasn’t even coming out for days and weeks. Your fish needs a place to hide, where you and other fish won’t see him.

Stress is bad for any fish. Staying in open space like that must be very, very stressful for him.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

My firefish stays in his cave a lot. In the beginning he wasn’t even coming out for days and weeks. Your fish needs a place to hide, where you and other fish won’t see him.

Stress is bad for any fish. Staying in open space like that must be very, very stressful for him.

This. I didn't see mine for a month. Now he treads open water all day. Took some time, and moving my clownfish.

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

Now I can’t find him at all this morning. Looked everywhere in my rock scape but he is nowhere to be found

 

[twentyleagues]

Now I can’t find him at all this morning. Looked everywhere in my rock scape but he is nowhere to be found

is the tank covered?

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

is the tank covered?

Yes it has a jump net over it. And I also woke up to find that 2 hermits killed a snail where he usually hangs out. There is also a hole about an inch long in the jump net for cables I no longer need

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

He's found a cave. He's there. He's hiding. He's scared. Keep a sharp eye all over when you feed. Adf some brine to the mix and get him coming out to grab food. It was three weeks before mine would come more than his body length out of his cave, even for food. He ate, he just wouldn't chase food.

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

He's found a cave. He's there. He's hiding. He's scared. Keep a sharp eye all over when you feed. Adf some brine to the mix and get him coming out to grab food. It was three weeks before mine would come more than his body length out of his cave, even for food. He ate, he just wouldn't chase food.

I fed the tank, didn’t see any sign of him, but I’ll keep an eye out

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I fed the tank, didn’t see any sign of him, but I’ll keep an eye out

There is a chance found a cave to die in. But that was a scared fish. They are very timid.

 

[lhetes_tinyreef]

I hope it doesn’t come down to that. But still how can I not find a 3 inch firefish in a nano tank?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I hope it doesn’t come down to that. But still how can I not find a 3 inch firefish in a nano tank?

I know. Look and see if he jumped. I'm sure you've searched everywhere outside the tank.

They can hide really well. Took me three days of watching at feeding time to find mines cave. I had the same concerns and worries you are.

It's an easy and beautiful fish after he settles in.