Purple firefish

Purple Firefish Care Guide

Glossary:
  1. Care Guide & Requirements
  2. Reef Safe
  3. Prices
  4. Food & Diet
  5. Facts
  6. Tank Mates & Environment
  7. FAQs
The Purple firefish, or Nemmateleotris decora, is a colorful and easy-to-keep fish that can make a great addition to most tanks. Also known as the Purple dartfish, Decorated dartfish, Fire goby, or Flame firefish, this fish features a unique purple color on its fins and body along with certain shades of yellow. Want to find out if this fish is right for you? Read on in our care guide to determine whether this fish is a good fit.

Is the Purple firefish reef safe?

You shouldn’t have to worry about this fish going after corals or invertebrates in your reef tank. They’re not very aggressive and tend to do well in a reef environment.

Purple firefish food and diet

You can feed the Purple firefish a variety of live and frozen meaty foods along with plants. This fish feeds on everything from raw table shrimp and brine shrimp to mussels, squid, and clams. You can tell this fish is well-fed by the fish’s color—if it begins to lose its purple coloration, this could indicate that you’re not feeding it well enough.

Purple firefish FAQs

Are Purple firefish hardy?

One of the best things about the Purple firefish is its hardy nature. This makes them less vulnerable to diseases that could otherwise harm them. As long as you provide this fish with proper care and treat any illnesses before they have the chance to worsen, you’ll be able to maintain this species pretty easily.

Are Purple firefish aggressive?

The Purple firefish isn’t a very aggressive fish—you won’t need to worry about this species going after other fish in your tank for the most part. However, they do often have a tendency to attack other dartfish species, so it’s typically best to keep no more than one Purple firefish in your tank at a time.

How long does the Purple firefish live?

The Purple firefish doesn’t live too long, but you can expect most members of this species to live for around three years. With the right care and depending on the specific fish, this fish could live even longer.

Purple firefish price

The cost of a Purple firefish will vary from place to place, but they’re generally pretty affordable. You can find this species on the market for around $50 to $100 in most cases.

Purple firefish facts

Here are some interesting facts about the Purple firefish you might not know:

  1. The Purple firefish isn’t one of the largest fish, but it can grow to around four inches. You should be fine keeping this fish in a smaller tank.
  2. The name of this fish comes from its unique purple coloration. The fish’s fins and part of the body have a purple tint to them that makes them among the most vibrant species you can add to a tank.
  3. In the wild, you can find the Purple firefish in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, specifically in the open bottoms of reefs and in sandy patches or rubble.

What other fish are the best tank mates for the Purple firefish?

Because of their peaceful nature, Purple firefish do well with all types of tank mates. As long as you only keep one firefish in your tank, you can keep a community tank with ease. It’s best to stick with tank mates that are around the same size and temperament as your firefish to avoid any potential issues. For example, you can keep your firefish with:
  • Green chromis
  • Clownfish
  • Butterflyfish
  • Blennies
  • Pajama cardinalfish

You can also keep snails and shrimp among other invertebrates in your firefish tank without issue.

Where to buy Purple firefish

You can buy Purple firefish at many places online, including the following stores:

For a great fish that works well in just about any tank, consider getting a Purple firefish. With the right care and environment, this fish will thrive and make for a beautiful sight.