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Firefish
Firefish

Firefish

Nemateleotris magnifica

The original firefish — a slender white-to-yellow body ending in a flame-red tail, tipped by a tall, twitching first dorsal fin it flicks like a flag. It hovers in the water column picking plankton and darts into a "bolt-hole" in the rock at any disturbance, so it does best among calm tankmates. Peaceful with the community but scrappy with its own kind — keep one unless you have a bonded pair. Like every firefish it is an accomplished jumper; a sealed lid is non-negotiable.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
3.1"
Min tank
20 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Surface, Bottom
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Firefish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Maroon ClownfishMaroon Clownfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Helfrich's FirefishFirefish and Helfrich's Firefish are the same genus (Nemateleotris) and will fight — keep only one.Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Coral HawkfishFirefish are named among the species the Coral Hawkfish will harass and may eat. It hunts from a perch, so an open-water hoverer has nowhere safe to sit.Midas BlennyThe Midas Blenny reaches around 13 cm and hovers in open water, where it harasses slender, peaceful mid-water fish — firefish are the classic victim. LiveAquaria notes it is known to nip at firefish and gobies.Purple FirefishFirefish and Purple Firefish are the same genus (Nemateleotris) and will fight — keep only one.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Royal DottybackFirefish are named explicitly among the placid species a Royal Dottyback should not share a tank with — it drives them into hiding and they are also the fish most likely to jump out when harassed.Fiji Blue Devil DamselThe Fiji blue devil is explicitly "not for docile tank mates"; a shy firefish is a prime harassment target.Domino DamselCare sheets explicitly warn that domino damsels harass firefish and other timid gobies; the firefish is a textbook victim of this bully.Neon Velvet DamselAs it grows the neon velvet damsel harasses smaller peaceful fishes; a shy firefish is bullied into hiding.Falco HawkfishFirefish are timid and easily bullied off feeding by a semi-aggressive perching Falco.Arc-Eye HawkfishThe bold Arc-eye darts from its perch at smaller fish; a shy 8 cm firefish is a likely target.Marine BettaAn 8 cm firefish is a documented Betta prey type; slender and often at rest in the open at night.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Convict TangConvict Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Regal AngelfishRegal Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Achilles TangAchilles Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Naso TangNaso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Scopas TangScopas Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Chevron TangChevron Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Mimic TangMimic Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Redlip BlennyLarge Redlips can become territorial toward gobies and dartfish sharing bottom/perch space, especially in small tanks.Valentini PufferThe Valentini nips slow, long-finned fish; a firefish’s elongated dorsal filament is a target and it is easily bullied.Crosshatch TriggerfishCrosshatch Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Threadfin ButterflyfishThreadfin Butterflyfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Majestic AngelfishMajestic Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Firefish and may harass it.