Purple Firefish

The purple firefish (Nemateleotris decora), also called the decorated dartfish, is a small Indo-Pacific fish with a pale body, a purple-washed head, and magenta and purple edging along the fins. It hovers just above the sand near a bolt-hole in the rock, fins twitching, and vanishes into that hole at the first sign of trouble. It is quieter and shyer than its red-tailed relative.

Aquarium care

• Adults reach roughly 8 cm.
• Peaceful, shy, and easily intimidated by fast or aggressive tankmates.
• Needs rockwork with a crevice or burrow to retreat into.
• A serious jumper. A tightly covered aquarium is essential, including gaps around equipment.
• Takes small frozen foods and appropriately sized prepared foods.
• Does not bother corals or ornamental invertebrates.

Best kept singly or as an established pair in a calm reef with gobies, clownfish, cardinalfish and other unhurried fish. Avoid hawkfish, larger wrasses and anything that feeds aggressively. If you are choosing between this and the red-tailed firefish, ask our staff which is actually in the tank on the day.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is available for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the saltwater fish collection.