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Unread 01/20/2018, 02:01 PM   #1
IsaacCorlett01
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Smile Firefish not eating

Hi i have had a orange and white firegish for 1 week now and I have not seen it eat.It is in a 10 gallon tank with 2 clownfish.whenever I go to feed the clowns and it it gets scared and swims away.i am scared it will starve to death


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Unread 01/20/2018, 02:25 PM   #2
anthonys51
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Yes it is going to starve to death Firefish are very timid Fish. Having a pair of clowns with a firefish in a 10 gallon tank is a bad idea. Sorry to be this blunt but with a pair of clowns you can not is really add anymore fish in a 10 gallon tank. If you want maybe a gobie You can add a few cleaner shrimp if you looking to add something


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Unread 01/20/2018, 02:28 PM   #3
IsaacCorlett01
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What can I do to feed it


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Unread 01/20/2018, 02:29 PM   #4
IsaacCorlett01
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I am really worried


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Unread 01/20/2018, 02:35 PM   #5
anthonys51
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Unfortunately once a fish stops eating it’s bad


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Unread 01/20/2018, 04:24 PM   #6
Tom39
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Ouch!! Not to be argumentative but the fish is not dead and it is certainly not time to throw in the towel just yet.
IsaacCorlett01, it is concerning that the fish is not eating but there are some things you can do to make the fish less frightened during feeding time. Here are a few:
Try adding more places for it to hide or dart to when scared, try feeding the tank in multiple spots, try and target feed with something like a long reach dropper or turkey baster, place the food in an old shell and place it next to one of hiding areas.
Additionally, what type of food are you feeding? Have you only tried one kind? If so, experiment with different foods to see if you can find one that it likes. Go back to the LFS where you bought it and ask them what type of food they fed. The bottom line is that it has only been a week and if you don't at least try to get it to eat you will continue to wonder if there was something more you could have done.

HIH,
Tom


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Unread 01/20/2018, 05:40 PM   #7
anthonys51
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It’s a 10 gallon tank with 2 clowns and not qt. This fish will not make a month. Not being rude just need to you plan out your purchases A pair of clowns will own a 10 gallon tank and a firefish isn’t tough enough to make it long term


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Unread 01/20/2018, 06:35 PM   #8
Tom39
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The OP's request was for help in figuring out how to get a fish to eat, not to critique his decision to purchase fish. I chose to provide some suggestions to improve the situation. Will anything I suggested work? I don't know and only time will tell.
Also, please do not misunderstand, I am not saying that any points you made are wrong and I do agree with you that the 2 clowns in that small of a tank may be problematic. But scolding someone for their decision to buy a fish at this point in time is futile. Working together to solve the issue at hand however is the only sensible option.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 07:28 PM   #9
anthonys51
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How am I scolding. He asked a question how to make a fish eat. That Fish isn’t going to make it , I don’t care what you try to feed if. you and I both know it. I want to make sure he is 200 percent clear that he made a huge mistake. How are you helping him by sugar coating it. Go back to the pet shop return the Fish ask for your money back and probably never shop there again. Any pet shop who would advise a firefish in a 10 gallon with 2 clowns would never get my business. My clown bites me every time I put my hand near him and my tank is 265.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 09:46 PM   #10
Tom39
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Here is a quote by Maya Angelou that I think fits this situation -

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

― Maya Angelou

Keeping that in mind, there are a few things I consider before I hit send. I reflect on the things that I am trying to convey and how it might make a person feel. In order to do this in a forum setting, I consider the experience level of the person I am responding to. In this instance, the OP has relayed in their bio that they have been in the hobby for 6mo and have a 10g tank. This tells me that their experience level in the hobby is at ground 0 and I know from experience that this is not a great place to be in when something goes wrong.
So in a situations like this, I try and remember what it was like when I was new to the hobby, and I put myself in their shoes and try and understand that they are struggling and desperately wanting to make this work. I also remember and understand that their hope of a successful tank seems to be fading. This is evident by their request for help in post #1 and their statement of concern for a fish in post #3 &4. The encouraging part of this is that, this information tells me that they haven't given up that hope of the perfect tank. It also makes me hopeful that one day, they may be able to contribute positively, their experiences to someone else on this forum that is struggling just like they once were.

There is a time and place for the brutal truth but this is not one of them. Now is the time for discretion and damage control and not pointing fingers, identifying fault and placing blame.

Is the fire fish going to make it? I don't know. But is that what really matters in this situation?


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Unread 01/20/2018, 10:05 PM   #11
anthonys51
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You sound like a very nice person, also very well spoken but Thus is a Reef and Fish forum. Bottom line is fish are pets, and before you bring any pet into your hone You need to research on how to take care of it first. Its nice your trying to spare his feeling and I am not trying Ti be mean. I am just being direct. There is a difference. I simple stated the facts, witch you agreed Bad choice adding this fish to this tank. If that made him feel bad , good or indifferent wasn’t the point. The op wants some magic cure for getting this fish to eat. There simple isn’t one. He feels bad. For this I commend him
If you want the Fish to have a chance take it back to pet store get your money back Before you buy ask questions and research


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Unread 01/21/2018, 01:58 AM   #12
IsaacCorlett01
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom39 View Post
Here is a quote by Maya Angelou that I think fits this situation -

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

― Maya Angelou

Keeping that in mind, there are a few things I consider before I hit send. I reflect on the things that I am trying to convey and how it might make a person feel. In order to do this in a forum setting, I consider the experience level of the person I am responding to. In this instance, the OP has relayed in their bio that they have been in the hobby for 6mo and have a 10g tank. This tells me that their experience level in the hobby is at ground 0 and I know from experience that this is not a great place to be in when something goes wrong.
So in a situations like this, I try and remember what it was like when I was new to the hobby, and I put myself in their shoes and try and understand that they are struggling and desperately wanting to make this work. I also remember and understand that their hope of a successful tank seems to be fading. This is evident by their request for help in post #1 and their statement of concern for a fish in post #3 &4. The encouraging part of this is that, this information tells me that they haven't given up that hope of the perfect tank. It also makes me hopeful that one day, they may be able to contribute positively, their experiences to someone else on this forum that is struggling just like they once were.

There is a time and place for the brutal truth but this is not one of them. Now is the time for discretion and damage control and not pointing fingers, identifying fault and placing blame.

Is the fire fish going to make it? I don't know. But is that what really matters in this situation?

Hi guys I have left this sit overnight just to make this clear I am upgrading to a bigger tank that is currently cycling.Thank you both for your advice.

I can't get the food anywhere needs it or it will just daft into a pipe I have put being the rock.i feed frozen brineshrimp.

Whilst writing this I have just thought what if i add some live food from my lfs and sit down away from the tank and when it comes out it may feed.


Thanks

Isaac


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Unread 01/21/2018, 02:02 AM   #13
IsaacCorlett01
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonys51 View Post
How am I scolding. He asked a question how to make a fish eat. That Fish isn’t going to make it , I don’t care what you try to feed if. you and I both know it. I want to make sure he is 200 percent clear that he made a huge mistake. How are you helping him by sugar coating it. Go back to the pet shop return the Fish ask for your money back and probably never shop there again. Any pet shop who would advise a firefish in a 10 gallon with 2 clowns would never get my business. My clown bites me every time I put my hand near him and my tank is 265.


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I am starting to rely not like you i asked for some advicadvice

Go on YouTube and look at the people who do this for like 10 years.

So do me a favour if i was very new to Redding and you say oh he the fish will die what do you think the reaction will be.so please just think before you speak


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Unread 01/21/2018, 08:55 AM   #14
anthonys51
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I don’t care if you like me. My advice is correct


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Unread 01/21/2018, 11:44 AM   #15
IsaacCorlett01
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Great news the firefish is eating and healthy


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Unread 01/22/2018, 10:58 AM   #16
jd371
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Good to hear. My Firefish was the first fish in my tank. Fast forward 2.5 years and I have a total of 9 fish including the Firefish.
In the past when adding some of the new additions to the tank it would cause him to be frightened and go into hiding. The longest he hid for was a about a month or so when I added a Copper Band Butterfly last Spring. I thought he would definitely starve because I didn't see him come out or eat at all during that time. But, to my surprise he started coming out during feeding for a minute or two, then a little longer and eventually was back to normal and is out all the time now. They are a very timid fish and will take some time to get comfortable in certain situations.


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Unread 01/22/2018, 04:19 PM   #17
m0nkie
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in these situations, I think it's always best to over feed and increase water changes. Over feeding will guarantee little pieces floating by the firefish. and food left over in crevices and sandbed. but you need to increase the water change. use frozen food makes things easier


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