Top 5 Firefish Goby Tank Mates

The Firefish goby is a truly beautiful and eye-catching fish, and they have been soaring in popularity with saltwater hobbyists over the past several years, and for good reason.

Not only are these peaceful fish easy to look after, and perfectly compatible with beginner hobbyists, but they are super fun and entertaining to watch and keep. They also showcase incredible orange, red, white, and yellow colors.

When it comes to saltwater fish, it can sometimes be difficult to find compatible tank mates regardless of your experience level. When we say compatible, we mean those that share similar water and tank requirements, as well as an equally peaceful nature about them.

Our List of the Best 5 Firefish Tank Mates

Fortunately, finding tank mates for the Firefish goby is easy to do as they are peaceful fish that generally keep themselves to themselves, as well as being smaller fish that can live in an aquarium 20 gallons (75.5 liters) or more, making the choices for their tank mates almost endless.

Something to keep in mind is that they do not play well with their own kind unless they are a mated pair. So, we would recommend avoiding this, unless you have a mated pair or a large enough tank for them to establish their own territories.

Now, let's dive into our list!

1. Yellow Tang

Yellow tangs are truly awesome, they certainly have a unique look, being bright yellow and sporting a rather odd body shape as well as an interesting beak-like mouth. You can learn more about the yellow tang in detail, including specific requirements via our yellow tang guide.

  • Care level: Easy
  • Temperament: Peaceful
  • Maximum Size: 8 inches (20 cm)
  • Temperature: 72 - 82°F (22.2 - 28°C)
  • Minimum tank size: 55 gallons (208 liters)
  • Maximum Lifespan: 15 years
  • Diet: Omnivore

They are shy fish too, and will often keep themselves to themselves, which is great for your Firefish, who get overwhelmed easily by aggressive fish. However, this fish species must be housed in a minimum tank size of 55 gallons (208 liters).

2. Ocellaris or True Percula Clownfish

With our next suggestion, you are getting two fish for the price of one! Well, not really, but the only two subspecies of clownfish we would recommend are the two smallest variants.

This is because both Ocellaris and True Percula clownfish are the smallest and most peaceful clownfish, getting along with a whole host of marine fish. You must avoid the larger clownfish subspecies, such as maroon or skunk.

  • Care level: Easy
  • Temperament: Peaceful
  • Maximum Size: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
  • Temperature: 72 - 78°F (22 - 25.5°C)
  • Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons (75.7 Liters)
  • Maximum Lifespan: 10 years
  • Diet: Omnivore

3. Royal Gramma

Royal grammas are pretty special fish, they are small, bright, and brimming with life! They display unique and beautiful colors and are peaceful fish by nature, typically getting along well with equally peaceful tank mates of a similar size.

Royal gramma basslet
  • Care level: Easy
  • Temperament: Peaceful
  • Maximum Size: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
  • Temperature: 72 - 78°F (22 - 25.5°C)
  • Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallons (113.5 Liters)
  • Maximum Lifespan: 6 years
  • Diet: Planktivore (will also eat brine and mysis shrimp)

The only thing we would suggest is that you introduce your Firefish to the tank first. Royal grammas are naturally peaceful and calm little fish, but they can be territorial if they have become used to a saltwater tank by being introduced first.

4. Banggai Cardinalfish

Banggai cardinals make for brilliant tank mates with most fish that share a similar size and similar tank requirements, which makes them perfect for the Firefish goby! They showcase an oddly-shaped silver body with thick black stripes running across.

  • Care level: Easy
  • Temperament: Peaceful/Semi-Aggressive
  • Maximum Size: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
  • Temperature: 72 - 78°F (22 - 25.5°C)
  • Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallons (113.5 Liters)
  • Maximum Lifespan: 5 years
  • Diet: Carnivore

These beautiful and not to mention hardy fish are also schooling fish, meaning that they enjoy the company of their own and should be kept in groups, which makes for an awesome watch.

5. Blue Reef Chromis

Chromis fish are some of the most peaceful yet exciting fish in the hobby, they are reef safe and also beautiful, displaying a distinctive body shape, and a deep blue and black coloration. They are active swimmers and also enjoy living in schools of their own.

  • Care level: Easy
  • Temperament: Peaceful
  • Maximum Size: 5 inches (12.7 cm)
  • Temperature: 72 - 78°F (22 - 25.5°C)
  • Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallons (113.5 Liters)
  • Maximum Lifespan: 15 years
  • Diet: Omnivore

For most beginner saltwater fish keepers, the blue reef chromis is an absolute dream, they are hardy fish as well as peaceful and compatible with almost every other peaceful saltwater fish there is, and their above-average size makes them less susceptible to bullying.

Final Thoughts

We hope our list of compatible Firefish tank mates has been a useful resource for you. However, if you are looking for some other fish that are not featured in our list, do not worry, there are many more brilliant tank mates you can choose from - here is a shortlist consisting of the best of the rest firefish goby tank mates:

  • Gobies.
  • Reef compatible shrimp.
  • Other types of dartfish.
  • Blennies.
  • Blue sapphire damselfish.

All of the fish above are compatible tank mates - the key is ensuring that your firefish goby is housed with similar sized fish that share the same temperament and behavioral similarities. Thanks for reading and good luck!