Solitary Dispar?

[AuroraDrvr]

I took the plunge and ordered two Dispar Anthias from saltwaterfish.com. Well, only one made the first night, (found the dead one in a coral), and their 15-day policy only gives you a credit for the amount of the fish on your next order :rolleyes: . All the other stuff I ordered, a Gorgonian, ricoredia, and some other things, made it and look great and I'd order again, but you have to order $79 bux of stuff to get free overnight shipping, and they don't have a whole lot in stock right now.

So, I'm planning on just keeping the one Dispar, will he be fine w/o any other dispars? I know they're a schooling fish, so that's why I'm corcerned. Other fish in my tank right now are a True Percula pair and a blue damsel. I'm going take the damsel back someday for a couple green chromis, and my plans are for a Mandrin in the short future.

[SDguy]

I had a single dispar that did fine alone (he had been at the LFS for months though, so not a fresh import). I also had a single dispar not do well, and die for no apparent reason....just stopped coming out as much, until it hid constantly and didn't eat. So IME you've got a 50/50 chance. Maybe trade in the damsel for a chromis...give it a social partner. Just a thought.

[AuroraDrvr]

Well, he wasn't out much at all and not eating. I coaxed him to eat with some garlic guard flavored live brine, and now he's eating frozen mysis (though only the smallest of small pieces) and he does comes out more.

I like the chromis idea, though I kinda wanted a school of them (3-4). But the dispar is much more likely to have a 'social' partner with one chromis, correct? I'm also finding the chromis are very prone to mutiny and turn on each other (the green/blue chromis). I don't think maybe a Royal Gramma, or maybe some type of Dottyback would make a good 'social partner'?