Helfrichi Firefish

[spk]

Hi folks,
I have three of these on order. one has already arrived and I am hopefully going to get the other two that are available from one of the wholesalers.

Does any one know any information on these fish. Breeding, sexes, larval stages, first food or anything else for that matter.


thanks
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Hi folks,
I have three of these on order. one has already arrived and I am hopefully going to get the other two that are available from one of the wholesalers.

Does any one know any information on these fish. Breeding, sexes, larval stages, first food or anything else for that matter.


thanks
Steve

I wouldn't suggest putting 3 of them together. Firefish tend to beat each other to death when they're adults. Rarely someone will luck out and get a genuine mated pair but it's rare. You can't just throw any two juveniles together and expect a pairing. There is no known way to sex them, and I have not heard of anyone rearing the larvae successfully.

FWIW, if you'd like to keep a group of similar fish that will get along in groups and spawn, all the Ptereleotris spp. (dartfishes) will do so.

 

[spk]

Matt,

Thanks for the coments.
Steve

 

[Len]

I agree. I have problems even keeping two in a 176 gallon unless they are mated.

They eat just about any meaty foods that will fit in their mouth. Mine loves mysis. I don't know how to breed or sex them.

 

[spk]

All good comments. One question that I have is how do I pair them up. If having the three of them in a single tank is not a good idea, any suggestion as to the best way of pairing?

steve

 

[HELLYEAH]

for me i 've never had a problem just putting them together in one of my tanks i have a helfrichi from marshall island and one from tonga and they are ok.

 

[spk]

HellYeah

That is good to know. Did you figure out if they are male/female at all?
Thanks

Steve

 

[Len]

I had a true mated pair once and could not find any sexual dimorphism. They both looked the same. Maybe they were gay

FWIW, true mated pairs are really neat. They hover together and will lock jaws as if "kissing."