From one to five to no firefish in two days

[Timothy Tom]

I have a 2 1/2 yr old 150 gallon reef tank I bought 4 orange
firefish about 2 years ago. They gradually disappeared leaving a
single firefish for the past year. I felt like as though that single
firefish might like some companionship so I bought an additional 4
orange firefish. On the first day, all the firefish were congregating
together near the front of the tank. I thought this was interesting
because the previously lone firefish never ventured far from a
sheltered corner of the tank. Anyway, after the first night, I only
saw two firefish. Today, I see none! What happened? I can
understand the deaths of the new firefish due to stress during the
first two days, but why would the existing firefish which has survived
in the tank for two years die as well. I saw no evidence of fighting
among the firefish. I do have several yellow-tailed damsels which
occassionally swam aggressively toward the firefish, but nothing
severe. The other fish in the tank include a yellow tang, a blenny, a
small wrasse, and a pair of tomato clowns. I just hate it when you
try to improve the environment of your captive organisms, and your
effort ends in their demise.

[Dragon Slayer]

they could be in hiding. they find themselves a 'bolt' hole and until they
become safe feeling with the tank stay in it most of the time.

they could have took a leap of faith as well when being chased by the
damsels. check the floor for that.

hth
kc

"Timothy Tom" > wrote in message
om...
> I have a 2 1/2 yr old 150 gallon reef tank I bought 4 orange
> firefish about 2 years ago. They gradually disappeared leaving a
> single firefish for the past year. I felt like as though that single
> firefish might like some companionship so I bought an additional 4
> orange firefish. On the first day, all the firefish were congregating
> together near the front of the tank. I thought this was interesting
> because the previously lone firefish never ventured far from a
> sheltered corner of the tank. Anyway, after the first night, I only
> saw two firefish. Today, I see none! What happened? I can
> understand the deaths of the new firefish due to stress during the
> first two days, but why would the existing firefish which has survived
> in the tank for two years die as well. I saw no evidence of fighting
> among the firefish. I do have several yellow-tailed damsels which
> occassionally swam aggressively toward the firefish, but nothing
> severe. The other fish in the tank include a yellow tang, a blenny, a
> small wrasse, and a pair of tomato clowns. I just hate it when you
> try to improve the environment of your captive organisms, and your
> effort ends in their demise.

[Marc Levenson]

Do you have a sump under your tank? Check your overflow box to see if those
fish are in there, or even in the sump.

Marc


Timothy Tom wrote:

> I have a 2 1/2 yr old 150 gallon reef tank I bought 4 orange
> firefish about 2 years ago. They gradually disappeared leaving a
> single firefish for the past year. I felt like as though that single
> firefish might like some companionship so I bought an additional 4
> orange firefish. On the first day, all the firefish were congregating
> together near the front of the tank. I thought this was interesting
> because the previously lone firefish never ventured far from a
> sheltered corner of the tank. Anyway, after the first night, I only
> saw two firefish. Today, I see none! What happened? I can
> understand the deaths of the new firefish due to stress during the
> first two days, but why would the existing firefish which has survived
> in the tank for two years die as well. I saw no evidence of fighting
> among the firefish. I do have several yellow-tailed damsels which
> occassionally swam aggressively toward the firefish, but nothing
> severe. The other fish in the tank include a yellow tang, a blenny, a
> small wrasse, and a pair of tomato clowns. I just hate it when you
> try to improve the environment of your captive organisms, and your
> effort ends in their demise.

--
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[Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr.]

Hi Tim

They may still be in there, hiding!

Like you, I had a few firefish and thought they were all eaten, as
they to had disappeared. I didn't even see them at night when the
lights were off from a blue nightlight that was a part of the lighting
system.

It wasn't until I was breaking down the aquarium for moving it over 2
years later that I finally discovered them, all three, alive as could
be. Plus several other critters that I had thought were long demised.

And although I have a filtered overflow system as well, when we
dismantled the sump, we found a whole colony of green star polyps that
had taken over the back corner of the sump and were quite happy there,
low light and all. A little study of the sump showed that an air-vent
in the aquaria hood allowed a beam of light to hit the sump in this
same area where the polyps were found. There were also some type of
orange coral that had established itself underneath a fixed bracket in
the sump near the green star polyps.

TTUL
Gary

[(((RN)))]

On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 11:55:37 GMT, Marc Levenson >
wrote:

>Do you have a sump under your tank? Check your overflow box to see if those
>fish are in there, or even in the sump.
>
My firefish loves to always jump into the overflow. Didn't find him
for 3 days the first time, thought he might have been someones lunch.
Dennis in Tucson, AZ
It's hot, but it is a dry heat.

[Marc Levenson]

That is unbelieveably cool, the way life finds a way!

Marc


"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote:

> Hi Tim
>
> They may still be in there, hiding!
>
> Like you, I had a few firefish and thought they were all eaten, as
> they to had disappeared. I didn't even see them at night when the
> lights were off from a blue nightlight that was a part of the lighting
> system.
>
> It wasn't until I was breaking down the aquarium for moving it over 2
> years later that I finally discovered them, all three, alive as could
> be. Plus several other critters that I had thought were long demised.
>
> And although I have a filtered overflow system as well, when we
> dismantled the sump, we found a whole colony of green star polyps that
> had taken over the back corner of the sump and were quite happy there,
> low light and all. A little study of the sump showed that an air-vent
> in the aquaria hood allowed a beam of light to hit the sump in this
> same area where the polyps were found. There were also some type of
> orange coral that had established itself underneath a fixed bracket in
> the sump near the green star polyps.
>
> TTUL
> Gary

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[Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr.]

Hi Marc

There was a large aquarium set up at the library for many years.
It would go through the various problematic cycles that we all face
from time to time.

I don't know how many years the aquarium was up exactly, but it was a
lot, more than 15 years for sure, before they decided to remodel the
library.

There was a large standpipe in the center that fed the sump below that
was encased in the cabinetry. Over the years, unsighly pieces of dead
or dying coral was tossed into the corner of the sump. I'm sure it
was shifted around considerably also, each time the sump was cleaned.

A few of us were there a couple of days after they emptied the
aquarium and had removed it, while they were dismantling the cabinetry
to get to the sump.

We all looked on in amazement when the back was removed and inside the
sump there existed two separate and unique individual ecosystems that
almost completely took over their respective corners of the sump.
It was by far more beautiful than anything ever seen in the aquarium
itself.

Upon further study, there were several instances of damage that they
recovered from. Probably from the bi-weekly cleaning of the sump.
But somehow the colonies survived and built defenses along their front
to protect them from the cleaning brushes. Almost like they built
themselves a protective cage so to speak.

The other side was just as beautiful, but made a defense in a
different sort of way. There were tall spines that rose up over the
colonies that existed there.

If you think about the most diverse and beautiful piece of live rock
you ever saw. These were exponentially greater and vastly more
populated.

After seeing this, I have often wondered if what we are doing for our
aquaria is often so far overkill that it thwarts what could be if left
alone, to a certain degree of course.
I was always thoroughly amazed at the aquaria set up by Lee Chin Eng,
after they had aged a few years or more!

TTUL
Gary

[Marc Levenson]

Thanks for adding more details, Gary. I agree.

Marc


"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote:

> Hi Marc
>
> There was a large aquarium set up at the library for many years.
> It would go through the various problematic cycles that we all face
> from time to time.
>
> I don't know how many years the aquarium was up exactly, but it was a
> lot, more than 15 years for sure, before they decided to remodel the
> library.
>
> There was a large standpipe in the center that fed the sump below that
> was encased in the cabinetry. Over the years, unsighly pieces of dead
> or dying coral was tossed into the corner of the sump. I'm sure it
> was shifted around considerably also, each time the sump was cleaned.
>
> A few of us were there a couple of days after they emptied the
> aquarium and had removed it, while they were dismantling the cabinetry
> to get to the sump.
>
> We all looked on in amazement when the back was removed and inside the
> sump there existed two separate and unique individual ecosystems that
> almost completely took over their respective corners of the sump.
> It was by far more beautiful than anything ever seen in the aquarium
> itself.
>
> Upon further study, there were several instances of damage that they
> recovered from. Probably from the bi-weekly cleaning of the sump.
> But somehow the colonies survived and built defenses along their front
> to protect them from the cleaning brushes. Almost like they built
> themselves a protective cage so to speak.
>
> The other side was just as beautiful, but made a defense in a
> different sort of way. There were tall spines that rose up over the
> colonies that existed there.
>
> If you think about the most diverse and beautiful piece of live rock
> you ever saw. These were exponentially greater and vastly more
> populated.
>
> After seeing this, I have often wondered if what we are doing for our
> aquaria is often so far overkill that it thwarts what could be if left
> alone, to a certain degree of course.
> I was always thoroughly amazed at the aquaria set up by Lee Chin Eng,
> after they had aged a few years or more!
>
> TTUL
> Gary

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Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
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[Timothy Tom]

Gary you were right. At least I have spotted 3 of the firefish still
alive. Who knows maybe the other two are still lurking in the rock
somewhere.

Tim