Firefish.. Disappeared?!

[sparklefuzz]

I have a 40 ukg tank, been running 7 months... we started with a pair of clowns, then we added two red firefish back in january who paired up nicely and have been fine. They hide alot, but we see them every day usually. A couple of weeks ago we had high nitrates and did 3 consecutive water changes to bring it down, after which, everything was ok again. On sunday we added a bicolor angel to the tank, and on his first night, only one of the firefish came out, but seemed to 'make friends' with him... the other didn't come out at all. By monday, we realised we hadn't seen firefish #1 since saturday and were concerned he might have died. Firefish #2 was still out and about, and didn't appear to be intimidated or anything by the bicolor. Since then, no sign of him either... been around 48+ hours. Their 'hidey hole' is at the back of the tank, I've never been able to find them the whole time we've had them, but the bicolor is flying in and out of all the nooks and crannys so you'd think he'd 'flush' them out. The water parameters are ok, although I haven't tested since sunday.
We have found some huuuge firewormas lately, one of them 12" long... could something like this have attacked them, or maybe the stress of the recent water changes... any ideas?? Could they, or at least one of them still be alive??

We fed mysis tonight, thinking it would bring one, or both out, but nothing...

 

[kkyyllee]

bristleworms will only eat dead stuff, hes probly just hiding from the bicolor give him time, he may never comeout tho, thats the problem with firefish

 

[FLcracker94]

The one thats hiding might be a Female and the one thats not might be Male, since hes not as afraid...I would suggest getting the LFS to hold your fish in a back tank or in your own extra tank for a while to see if it will come out. I started feeding the fish every 3 days so on monday it should of been fine...I'm not sure about today, but it just may still be alive. Take out the angel for a while and keep close watch on the tank.

 

[SkiFletch]

Did you check for carpet surfing?

 

[Matthew5664]

As Ski will tell you carpet surfing is much a reality how with these firefish I would find it much more likely that hes hiding. It the wild they hover over a dart hole (witch is why they are sometimes called dartfish) and when something scares them they retreat into it. If you know of a dart hold that your fish used try target feeding the entrance to cokes him out. I hadn't seem mine sins the introduction of the tangs so for a month and presumed him dead until I moved over my tank a there he was alive and well in a darthole.

 

[sparklefuzz]

Did you check for carpet surfing?

As Ski will tell you carpet surfing is much a reality how with these firefish I would find it much more likely that hes hiding. It the wild they hover over a dart hole (witch is why they are sometimes called dartfish) and when something scares them they retreat into it. If you know of a dart hold that your fish used try target feeding the entrance to cokes him out. I hadn't seem mine sins the introduction of the tangs so for a month and presumed him dead until I moved over my tank a there he was alive and well in a darthole.

Yep, no jumping has been involved in the disappearance of the firefish. I know where they bolt to, just can't get to it to see if they're there. It has been 5 days for one and 3 days for the other now. I would believe the first one was hiding, but the second one was socialising just fine with the newcomer for the first 24 hours or so... might things have turned bad, do you think?? The angel doesn't seem very aggressive, in fact, my female clown is giving him a run for his money... and she is bigger than him too. LOL. I guess I'll wait it out... maybe see if I can poke around the rock a bit. Thanks guys xx

 

[sparklefuzz]

Ok, we have firefish #2 alive and well. That means firefish #1 has been AWOL for 6 days. I've poked around and moved some rock, but no sign. Could his body have been eaten already, if he did die?

 

[bambam]

yes he body could have been eaten my one chromis died awhile ago for a reason i dont know i think bullying and i couldnt reach the body to get it out so i left it over night thing to get it the next morning. to my surprise when i woke up the next morning the body was no where to be found so something ate it during the night

 

[FLcracker94]

The whole body wont be eaten, they leave the skeleton. It's really sad and weird looking...you could leave the skele to become sand or you can take it out and burry it.

 

[bambam]

i have never found the skeleton unless something already buried it in the sand of the tank... during that time i kept a close eye on the parimeters and nothing changed

 

[FLcracker94]

lol


Both times, I found the skeleton cause they were scavenged during the night, in the morening, there would be a skeleton. After a while I'm sure it would be covered.

 

[bambam]

just because you found a skeleton doesnt mean the whole world would find a skeleton........ whos stupid now, think before you try to insult someone

 

[FLcracker94]

just because you found a skeleton doesnt mean the whole world would find a skeleton........ whos stupid now, think before you try to insult someone

I only put the "I'm with stupid" as a joke lol. geeze. I know alot of people wont find a skeleton cause sometimes its in a rock or its under sand. lets just get off the skeleton thing.

BTW, wasnt trying to insult you.

 

[shibby]

this topic kinda lost relevence now!

hopefully sparklefuzz will find number 1 soon, some things go missing for agesss in spots you would even guess they can hide in!! hope u find it well!

 

[FLcracker94]

this topic kinda lost relevence now!

hopefully sparklefuzz will find number 1 soon, some things go missing for agesss in spots you would even guess they can hide in!! hope u find it well!

Shibby is right.lol

Man, I hope you find the FF alive and well too, those are beautiful fish, If mine died, I'd ball my eyes out...