Scared Firefish because of New Addition

[Todd31]

Hello!

So, last week i put in a one-spot foxface into my 75 gallon tank. Super low nutrients so im adding to the bioload to try to combat coral pale-ness. The foxface is the largest fish in the tank and so everyone is a little cautious. Unfortunately the most skittish one... the firefish.... has been hiding in her frag station for a week. I dont know if she is eating, i try to squirt food into the station. Last night i lifted up the frag station to let her out right when i was feeding and she almost jumped out of the tank.

Do some fish never adapt to a new addition?

 

[atoll]

Hello!

So, last week i put in a one-spot foxface into my 75 gallon tank. Super low nutrients so im adding to the bioload to try to combat coral pale-ness. The foxface is the largest fish in the tank and so everyone is a little cautious. Unfortunately the most skittish one... the firefish.... has been hiding in her frag station for a week. I dont know if she is eating, i try to squirt food into the station. Last night i lifted up the frag station to let her out right when i was feeding and she almost jumped out of the tank.

Do some fish never adapt to a new addition?

Yes I think some fish don't and the new addition does not ned to be threatening other fish for some to go into hiding. I had a similar experience when I foolishly added a medium size Purple tang to my tank and my Midas blenny went into hiding. I removed the tang and the Midas is back to normal again.

 

[BlueCursor]

Firefish are some of the most timid fish. They can easily be harassed to death too.

 

[CindyKz]

Mine used to hide if company came over, I didn't even have to add anything to the tank LOL

 

[Todd31]

Not sure what to do... ill keep trying to feed her in the frag station... but this cant be healthy for the fish. Its been a week now. trapping her to give her to someone's more docile tank will be impossible since shes in hide mode.

 

[Mikedawg]

Not sure what to do... ill keep trying to feed her in the frag station... but this cant be healthy for the fish. Its been a week now. trapping her to give her to someone's more docile tank will be impossible since shes in hide mode.

Similar problem; and as you know they can't be caught especially if you have a lot of rocks. Following to see if anyone has come up with a good fish trap for such a docile animal.

 

[Todd31]

i do have a small chance to get her out since she hides in a small frag station filled with zoas.

 

[amazongb]

My firefish lives under the sand with my pistol shrimp... comes out probably three times a week.. I squirt arctipods into the pistol hole with the pumps off.. he seems to be eating because he's not skinny..

 

[JayBee26]

my purple tang and midas blenny take turns eating algae together....but tang chases Banggai

 

[jd371]

I've had this happen to me twice with my Firefish. The first time I added 2 Wrasses and I didn't see the Firefish for a month, but eventually it started coming out a little bit at a time until it was comfortable enough to stay out all day. Two months ago I added a CBB and back into hiding again. Still hiding, but when I feed in the morning he has come out for a bit to feed and then go back into hiding for the rest of the day. I've noticed these past 2 weeks that he's already out in the morning before I feed so hopefully he's getting comfortable to stay out longer.
I wouldn't worry so much about your fish not eating. I thought the same the first time there was no sign of him for a month. I had written him off thinking he starved to death and the CUC got to him, but to my surprise there he was a month later swimming around with a big belly. Even in hiding I think some food makes it in there for him to eat.

 

[Gil03]

Had you not gotten the Fox face I would've suggested to use something like reef energy from redsea to help livin up your corals in a very low nutrient tank.

 

[Todd31]

ill keep aiming some food towards her during feeding, hopefully she gets a little more adventurous over time. i wanted to avoid going with additives if possible... hoping to find the right balance with fish load and nutrients. there was an extra upside with the foxface, he seems to be eating bubble algae....