Firefish

Care

Found in coral-rich lagoon habitats, Firefish thrive in reef aquaria where their plantonic diet makes them entirely safe for any coral neighbours. These gobies are also unlikely to exhibit aggression towards other fishes, although they will defend their chosen refuge from intruders. Young animals are social and found in groups but as they mature they form monogamous pairs which share a territory. This means that in all but the largest aquaria, these fish are best stocked in self-selected pairs. These can often be found in retailers" tanks having turned on their other companions, who are either relegated to the top corners of the aquarium, or have already been moved out. In open aquascapes with minimal rock work, make sure that opportunity exists for them to find suitable crevices to call home. The long first dorsal spine is said to be used to lock the fish into a crevice in a similar fashion to triggerfish. When out and about in the aquarium, it is not unusual to see these fish flicking this long first dorsal back and forth. Do ensure that the tank has tightly fitting covers and no escape holes, as these fish are expert jumpers. Take care when acclimatising too, as they will jump from the shipping bag if it is not covered. May also be seen on sale as Indian Ocean Firefish.

 

Feeding

Offer a quality dried food staple, together with a variety of small meaty foods such as Mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, plankton, chopped krill/mussel/cockle/clam etc. Feed small amounts several times per day.

Breeding

This species has not been successfully raised in captivity, although a handful of aquarists claim to have seen eggs. In the wild, firefish are monogamous and deposit their eggs in burrows. These are then thought to be guarded by the parents until hatching; the larvae are pelagic.