Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris Magnifica)

Also Known As: Fire Dartfish

Compatibility and Behavior
The Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica) is a nano reef classic for good reason. Its slender body flows from a pearly white head into a fiery red-to-orange rear, touched with subtle purple, and it carries a tall, sail-like first dorsal spine that flicks up when the fish is alarmed. Add the big expressive eyes and that signature hovering posture, holding position just above the rockwork as if suspended, and you get one of the most elegant little fish in the hobby. Temperament is generally peaceful, which suits it to a calm community of other small, non-aggressive fish like clownfish, small gobies, and peaceful wrasses. It's fully reef safe, ignoring corals and most inverts while it hovers in the mid-water and darts back to a chosen burrow the instant it's startled.

One important caveat on keeping more than one Firefish: Firefish can be genuinely territorial with their own kind, to the point of fighting to the death, so you can only safely house multiple Firefish in a tank over 75 gallons with rockwork arranged to create separate territories and line-of-sight breaks. Never put 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
The single most important piece of equipment here is a tight-fitting lid or mesh top. Firefish are notorious jumpers and will launch if startled or chased, and an open tank is the most common way they're lost. With that handled, the rest is easygoing: they do well in nano to mid-size tanks as long as the environment is stable and peaceful, with plenty of rockwork, caves, and overhangs for secure retreats, and gentle to moderate flow across open swimming lanes where they can hover. A system starting around 20 gallons suits a single Firefish. If you'd like to try more than one Firefish, ensure your tank is at least 75 gallons with enough rockwork to establish their own territories. Keep it well conditioned with regular feedings of small meaty foods such as mysis, enriched brine, finely chopped seafood, and quality micro pellets.

Specifications
Approximate Size: 1.25–2.25"
Diet: Carnivore; small meaty foods such as mysis, enriched brine, finely chopped seafood, and micro pellets
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Care Level: Easy to moderate
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons for a single Firefish
Special Considerations: A notorious jumper that needs a tight-fitting lid; can be territorial toward its own kind, so multiple Firefish 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