Purple Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris Decora)

Also Known As: Decorated Dartfish

Compatibility and Behavior
The Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora) is the more richly colored sibling in the firefish family, and is truly underrated when you consider its price. Where the standard Firefish glows red-orange, this one fades from a pale, pearly silver body into vivid purple along the flanks and tail, and under reef lighting that white-to-violet gradient makes it a genuine standout, a centerpiece in a nano and a refined accent in a larger reef. You can't miss the striking purple line across its head, and some specimens even featuring some green on its face. It carries the same bold, sail-like first dorsal and big expressive eyes, holding that elegant hovering posture just above the rockwork. Temperament is generally peaceful and it's fully reef safe, mixing well with other small, non-aggressive fish like clownfish, gobies, and gentle wrasses while it hovers in the mid-water and darts back to a favorite crevice when startled.

A note on keeping multiple Firefish: Firefish can be genuinely territorial and aggressive toward one another, to the point of fighting to the death, so you can only safely keep multiple in a tank over 75 gallons with rockwork arranged to create separate territories and line-of-sight breaks. Never house multiple Firefish together in a small, barren quarantine tank. Please also note that we do not carry bonded pairs, and we can't guarantee accurate sexing, since the differences between males and females are subtle and somewhat subjective.

Aquarium Requirements
As with every firefish, a tight-fitting lid or mesh top is the top priority, since these are notorious jumpers that will slip through even small gaps when alarmed. With that covered, the rest is straightforward: an established reef with stable water, gentle to moderate flow, and rockwork offering secure caves and overhangs to bolt into. A tank starting around 20 to 30 gallons suits a single medium or large specimen, with more room preferred when adding other small community fish. Provide open swimming lanes in the mid-water where it can hover, and keep it well conditioned and colored up with regular feedings of small meaty foods such as mysis, enriched brine, finely chopped seafood, and quality micro pellets.

Specifications
Approximate Size: Md: 1.5–2.25", Lg: 2.25–3"
Diet: Carnivore; small meaty foods such as mysis, enriched brine, finely chopped seafood, and quality micro pellets
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Care Level: Easy to moderate
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons for a single specimen
Special Considerations: A notorious jumper that needs a tight-fitting lid; can be territorial toward its own kind, so multiple should only be kept in tanks over 75 gallons with rockwork to establish separate territories, never together in a small, barren quarantine tank; we do not carry bonded pairs and cannot guarantee accurate sexing, as male/female differences are subtle and subjective