Fire goby pair?

[racerX]

I went to the new LFS today. Had to end my relationship with the old one after way to many bad advice episodes. When i first walked in i noticed two fire gobies (Nemateleotris magnifica) in a small tank with some file fish (saddled Filefish) i thought i remembered reading in Scott Michaels Marine Fishes that they don't get along in pairs unless they are mated and that they will chase one another till one is dead. So I read the label on the tank and it only listed them as individuals, but the next tank had a tag for a pair but there were none present. I asked the sales lady/owner and she asked her husband what the deal was and one of the other saleswomen in the store said that you could keep them in schools. I knew she was wrong but luckly her husband didn't hear the questions and just responded with "the price is on the front" so the lady sold me them for $13 a piece. which really isn't that bad since i think its a mated pair. Anyway my question is these two are really friendly with one another even sharing a large hole in one of my LR's and one stands guard while the other is inside. Does this mean that they are definately mated or could things get nasty later after they get comfortable to the tank?

thanks in advance
Shane

[Kurt]

:dance . I don't know anything about these particular fish ,I am thinking you did good from what you say. .:bowing: Hehehe.

[racerX]

well going on day two and still no fighting. their just as chummy as ever. also i noticed only one has the purple on the top spine and the other is all yellow. perhaps this is how to tell a male from a female????? I mean im just blowing smoke here but if anyone knows anything for sure please share.

[mogurnda]

According to wetwebmedia, they are supposed to be kept as pairs or small groups. No personal experience, however.

Here's a little writeup:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dartfish.htm

[racerX]

well got up this morning and feed the gang and watched everything for about ten minutes. Everything looked great so i was still happy. this was about 9:45 and when i got home at noon i checked again. and still no problems so i feed everyone including me and went back for my 2 o'clock class and i just got home at 4:30 and my roomate said that WWIII broke out just after i left with the fire gobies fighting like crazy he tried to one out and put him in the QT for protection but there are so many holes and rocks in my tank he couldn't catch either of them. after about ten minutes he stopped cause he didn't want to stress out anyone and cause another ich crisis. but he said it took about an hour for one to kill the other. so sad but i guess they weren't a mated pair or i just witnessed domestic violance at its worst. So i think cause the LFS said they could be keeped in schools i should call them and try to get a refund? but i feel bad cause i didn't really pay that much for them if they were a mated pair and i wasn't goin to give them some more money if they were? but bottom line, ones dead and its the bigger more pretty one that lost the battle, the small guy won. any idea how they were together in the store for what they said was two weeks after the 30day quarintine so thats like 6 weeks and never killed one another and after three days in my tank they flipped out on one another?

Shane

[Kurt]

Oh no. The books I have do not say anything about the Purple Firefish other than they are good choice for a quiet Indo-Pacific reef. I wonder if they were different species. One overstayed his welcome. I will watch for more replies myself.

[racerX]

fire gobies (Nemateleotris magnifica) aka fire fish, fire dartfish, Magnificent Dartfish.

but yeah only one left now.

the purple firefish is Nemateleotris decora.

just incase there was some confussion.

thanks again,
shane

[frosty]

Ya, I checked my copy of Marine Fish and it says keep singlely unless a mated pair or in a large tank with places to hide.