Dartfish.... Darted?

[AK77]

Today I purchased a new false percula clown and an orange dart fish. The blue damsel that was already in my tank noticed that the clownfish had doubled in number but didn't seem to care that much. However he seemed to take offense to the orange dartfish, and was rushing at him and being aggressive.

I decided to put some food in to to distract the damsel, which worked. I'd hoped that he'd leave the dartfish alone for a while and get used to the his new tank mate. I last saw the dartfish about 3 hours ago, as he swam into a rock formation near to my fireshrimp and disappeared from view. I grew a little concerned as I'd not seen him swimming about and was looking all round the tank. I couldn't see him anywhere.

I've since moved all the rocks around in an attempt to flush him out from wherever he was hiding but, no sighting. In the process, I managed to cover the floor in water because the damsel scared me by shooting out from the rocks and nipped my forearm... he's such a little b@$t@rd!!!

I've looked under the cabinet and around the floor. Nada. I've looked in the overflow backbox and in the sump, incase he some how managed to get through the overflow and into the pipework. Trouble is, if he did land on the floor, the chances are my Staffordshire bullterrier or my English bullterrier would have eaten him. So that was £14 well spent. Poor fishy... I keep hoping he will swim out into view but, I cannot find him anywhere in the tank.

Do these fish bury themselves in the sand at all??

 

[fishheaded]

My friend just recently bought a firefish, and the first couple days he didn't come out. He hid under a rock the whole time, the only thing we could see was his tail, and at one point he disappeared for about a couple of hours or so. I've read forums and these guys need alot of time to get used to their surroundings. They hide very very well. For the fact that you have a clown and damsel in there, Im pretty sure yours will hide because they feel threatend very easily. Just give it time, hopefully he's still in there. Do you have anything covering the top of your tank? Also try feeding, he might peek out when he smells the food.

 

[AK77]

Hi Fishhead,

For the first hour or so, he was swimming around with the clowns in open water and occassionally taking shelter in the chaetomorpha algae because the damsel would start charging at it. He's such a territorial little bugger. If I have to do anything in the tank he immediately starts swimming aggressively. At that point I turn my hand to face him and flick my fingers out at him and chase him off into the rocks.

I've put food in the tank a couple of times, but so far haven't seen him at all since he swam into a rock and disappeared. I don't have anything to cover the tank with and if I did, I'd have baked fish because of the halides. Its 82f in there as it is.

We will see if he's still in there, but if he is, then he's hiding EXCEPTIONALLY well. Personally I think he's in the dog.

 

[kkyyllee]

if your tank isnt covered forget trying to keep it, you could get some egcrate to cover the top, or some netting

 

[AK77]

The annoying thing is, I purchased netting about 5 weeks ago to keep the moths and other bugs out. I just never got around to purchasing the wood to make a framework up for it

Just another one of those sodding typical things that happen to me. Laugh it up God.... cos one day I'll be up there and I'm gonna kick you square in the your hairy beanbag!! .

 

[SkiFletch]

Firefish are excellent at hiding when frightened and damsels are excellent at bullying... There's a reason I hate damselfish with the fire of a thousand suns, and now you too know that reason

 

[boshank23]

the thing with fire fish is they lock themselves into a cave with their top fins and they won't budge for anything, they can even get eaten alive by crabs and bristle worms. mine has been out of water a few times as its was hiding in rockwork i have removed. also for some reason my copperband has taken a real disslike to my firefish, and will chase him into hiding, dont see him for a day or so then he is back to normal.

IMO ditch the damsel as it may harass anything else you put in there to death, personally i love damsels they have such wicked attitudes, but can wreak havock on other tank mates.