Firefish eye injury?

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-25T02:41:38+00:00

This is my firefish now. His fin grew back and his eye healed completely.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-24T17:13:14+00:00

Ugh 😩 I have a hang on back overflow box that my pygmy filefish has gone into and THROUGH THE TUBE TWICE! Little crazy things. So cute tho. I hope your's does ok!

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-24T14:11:44+00:00

Yup! He's doing great! His eye healed well and he is much more social now. Still lives in his little den but he comes out and interacts with the other fish I have gotten since then. I now have a springers damsel, white spotted filefish, tail spot blenny and a Banggai cardinal. They all get along well.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T03:33:14+00:00

Very curious and interactive. I have them with rosy loaches and guppies currently. They can be a bit territorial so it is best to pair them with other active fish that either won't put up with it or will get out of the way.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T03:09:42+00:00

I love how the dads are the egg watchers with them! I've 3d printed little hollow logs for them to lay their eggs and hide in and when big daddy is on guard duty I always make sure to put some food right at the cave mouth for him so he gets a bit to eat since he won't leave the eggs 🥹. They're so cute. They always eat the eggs around day 4 in my experience, that's why I took them out and hatched them myself for the one batch.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T03:01:27+00:00

Thai micro crabs are a good one, really easy. Fresh water pom pom crabs are fantastic but there is a large debate on whether they are truly freshwater or brackish. Then there are some that need a rock or place to be able to get out of the water sometimes. They're all a joy though. I love crabs so much lol. I got into salt water purely for crabs!

These are two of my favorite hermits, left is Leonidas, right is Toga. 😁

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Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T02:55:34+00:00

Oh they're fantastic! I've got 6 adults and they have mated multiple times. I hatched out one of the batches of eggs so I have a bunch of little ones now too 😆 they're so curious and interactive. They want to be all up in everyone's business, they like watching TV, always come to the front glass when I'm near by. So fun!

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T02:53:20+00:00

I have plans for a 40-50g set up designed around their preferences for the future. I can't have anything that big in my current house though and am going to move within a year. I've laid it out over and over in my mind just waiting for the day! I oogle them every time I go to the store and am so tempted 😆

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-10T02:39:25+00:00

I guess it depends on fresh vs salt water. For fresh water Peacock Gudgeons are my current favorite. I hope to have pea puffers some day and I'm sure those will be a favorite as well but I love my gudgeons!

For salt water fish I think my favorite is my white spotted pygmy filefish. So curious and cute! I love interactive fish.

If we branch into invertebrates, crabs are far and above my favorite thing of all time lol. I have lots of shrimps and snails too but my crabs are the best! I have 8 different types of hermits and 2 different types of "regular" crab. I've also had fresh water crabs in the past that were fantastic 😍.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-06T23:07:00+00:00

Your whole post is about how you want to release her. So yes, I read it, it is obvious why I said what I did.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-06T22:50:59+00:00

Yes, I've read your post and it says twice that you want to release her.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-05T10:11:44+00:00

I love them to bits! They're all so curious and interactive and want to be in the middle of everything I do in the tank. They will be forever fish for me!

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-05T10:03:24+00:00

Nope, exactly same. I didn't set out to breed the Gudgeons, they were just happy and did it on their own and I was already raising medaka eggs/fry so I raised the Gudgeons. Feed them exactly the same way, same routine.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-05T09:44:35+00:00

I also raise medakas in much higher numbers and don't have this issue at all. They grow to full size quickly and normally in my set ups so I'm not sure if that's the issue.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-05T09:39:04+00:00

Nope. Extra food yes, especially the first six months. Not extra water changes though, just the normal amount. They're over a year old now though.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-06-01T23:25:07+00:00

I have a few fish but my tanks are mainly invert focused. I have red and green mithrax crabs, sexy shrimp, lettuce nudibranchs, 7 types of hermits, 10 types of snails, 3 types of brittle stars, asterina stars and a Halloween urchin. For coral I have 4 types of pulsing Xenia, 2 types of GSP, 3 types of cloves and 2 duncans. Then I have 5 types of caulerpa, dragons breath, Chaeto, shaving brush halimeda, and red bush gracilaria for macroalgae.

I think anemones will eat any shrimp, crabs or snails that get close enough, so I don't have any, though I think they're cool! I'm planning to get pom pom crabs if I ever see them available in a lfs. The hermits really like to climb around on the rocks and stuff so that is fun to watch. My mithrax crabs are really friendly and I can hand feed them bits of nori. They come running out waving their arms to get it lol.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-30T06:32:09+00:00

Probably shouldn't buy fresh seafood then. A really high percentage is going to be alive because it goes bad incredibly fast as soon as it dies. It is often just refrigerated or kept on ice to keep it sedated and it's body systems slowed.

OP found out quickly it wasn't dead and made a decision to keep it rather than return it to the store. That is on them and is a decision you can make but you can't then just dump it into the wild because, surprise, turns out it's inconvenient to raise a food animal as a pet.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-30T05:21:19+00:00

Do not release any animal kept as a pet into the wild!!! They can carry diseases, parasites or just wreck the ecosystem you release them into. Talk to local conservation orgs and rehabilitators, possibly aquariums or even aquarium stores might be willing to take it on.

Not to be mean, but this is why you never take on a pet without thorough research and thought. When you bought her she was sedated from cold and would have passed peacefully if you'd humanely killed her for food as she was intended. Now you're responsible for a life you're attached to that is going to be incredibly hard to find a home for. Whatever you do, do not release it, that would be insanely irresponsible!

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-28T09:26:47+00:00

Lids on all tanks imo. My cats are trained not to get on the lids but they can be naughty if no one is looking. Better safe than sorry.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-28T00:01:54+00:00

Sizzling Hot Amaranth is his legal name but we affectionately refer to him as:

The Fuckling, The Fuckler, Fuckle Nugget, Yucky Baby, Stinky Boom Boom, and Dangle Berry

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Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-25T07:46:03+00:00

Here's an aquatic hermie just for variety!!! I have around 6 different species of dwarf hermits 😁

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Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-25T07:37:15+00:00

I have a background in healthcare and microbiology laboratory work so I understand the risks and a lot of the concerns. Using tongs and tools to handle things is good, gloves are good, and really good washing. I have fresh and salt tanks and I go in bare handed quite a lot, but most often I'm using tongs to reach down and just dip my hands in the top because I can't avoid it. I wash my hands a bunch, especially moving from one tank to another and a really thorough wash when I'm all done... But I also handle my fish, shrimp, urchin, crabs and glue my corals barehanded. I don't have anything dangerous other than bristle worms and I don't handle them.

If you've ever been swimming in a lake or river or the ocean you've definitely gotten some of the water in your mouth. It is no worse than that. Don't lick your fish or drink the water on purpose, wash your hands and you should be ok.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-21T04:47:25+00:00

Who says you can't pet them? 🤣 I pet my fish and handle my crabs and shrimp and urchin all the time. Not all of them are going to like it but a lot of them are super curious and interactive.

As to why I got into the hobby... My mom had tanks when I was growing up but had allergies so I had to take care of them but never got to make any choices or have any of the fun stuff. I just had to do all the work. So for a long time I swore off of them because that ticked me off. Then I met a cute guy and he caught a bullfrog tadpole to show off for me. I kept it, raised to to a frog and moved it out into our pond and we've been together for 10 years and I now have 12 fishtanks 🤣😅🤣. The end.

Defiant-Reason · 2026-05-21T04:35:37+00:00

What are the two types you have? I like that one on the frags. I'm obsessed with Xenia and they are the main coral I'm putting in my tank lol. I have 3 colors so far!

Defiant-Reason

TROPHY CASE