ReefPicker
← Livestock checker
Purple Firefish
Firefish

Purple Firefish

Nemateleotris decora

An elegant firefish with a white body, red-and-purple tail, and a violet-marked face — peaceful, hardy, and a great community fish, if a shy one. It hovers low over the rock and bolts for cover when startled, so it settles best when added early among calm tankmates. Keep one unless you have a confirmed bonded pair; two unpaired fish will fight. It is an accomplished jumper — seal the lid.

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.
Something look wrong? Report an error

Tankmates

How Purple 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 Purple Firefish and may harass it.Helfrich's FirefishPurple Firefish 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 Purple Firefish and may harass it.Midas BlennyMidas Blenny harasses the slender, timid Purple Firefish. LiveAquaria Midas sheet ("nip at firefish and gobies").FirefishPurple Firefish and 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 Purple Firefish.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Royal DottybackSame story as the common firefish — the Royal Dottyback claims the rockwork and the Purple Firefish is pushed off its hovering spot and stops coming out to feed.Domino DamselDomino Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Marine BettaAn 8 cm firefish is slender enough to be taken by the Betta’s large gape at night.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.

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 Purple Firefish and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Convict TangConvict Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Regal AngelfishRegal Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Achilles TangAchilles Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Naso TangNaso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Scopas TangScopas Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Chevron TangChevron Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Mimic TangMimic Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Valentini PufferA timid, long-finned firefish is exactly the slow, flowing-finned type the Valentini nips.Crosshatch TriggerfishCrosshatch Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Threadfin ButterflyfishThreadfin Butterflyfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Majestic AngelfishMajestic Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.Orange Shoulder TangOrange Shoulder Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Firefish and may harass it.