Neon Dottyback question?

[Guygettnby]

i bought a neon dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis) from ORA about a week ago. one of the prettiest fish i have ever had since it glows in my tank. but darn this thing must be on crack!! for the people who have one is this normal for them all?

also i was told to keep them and wrasse in seperate tanks. is this true aswell?

[Guygettnby]

bah, i shoulda added this question as well. i have read 2 different things about shrimp, some sites say they are fine with shrimpand others say they will eat ornamental shrimp. has anybody had one eat there shrimp before? noticed them fighting with other fish?

[eskymick]

I've had one for about three months. He's in my 36" cube with a six line wrasse (added later) and a coral banded shrimp. The neon dottyback shows no interest or aggression to either.

[Guygettnby]

I've had one for about three months. He's in my 36" cube with a six line wrasse (added later) and a coral banded shrimp. The neon dottyback shows no interest or aggression to either.

awesome, thats nice to know. i was considering putting another wrasse in my tank but needed to make sure there would be no problems with it. mine has yet to bother my cleaner or coral banded shrimp, so hopefully there will be no problems there either.

on the other hand i have noticed mine fighting with my pair of skunk clowns a few times. seems to be a very bold fish..

[Sugar Magnolia]

I had a neon dottyback a few years ago. Meanest fish I have ever owned. I gues sit really depends on what size tank you put it in. Obviously, the smaller the tank the more territorial aggression issues you'll have.

[eskymick]

Yes, it seems to be a rather bold fish (to other tank inhabitants) ... doesn't back down to "anyone". At the same time, it doesn't seem to be harmful in any way. That being said, I suspect that if a smaller fish was introduced after the neon dottyback has established itself, there could be some destructive behavior.

[Guygettnby]

i did read it should be the last fish added to the tank or if any other fish were added after to make sure they were added rather quickly. it is a pretty fish and my wife really likes it.

[smoothdog]

These are indeed beautiful fish but most will get quite aggressive. Anything added to the tank after it will be hounded regardless of size so consider this carefully before adding any new fish. I wouldn't even think about adding any new wrasse species to the tank as long as this fish is in there. They can and will eat ornamental shrimp if hungry enough, if the shrimp is established already you should be fine as long as it gets enough food but anything new will be looked upon as a potential food source, especially if you just drop it in the tank and don't actually place the new shrimp on a rock where it can escape into a hole. I watched horrified as my neon ripped 3 legs off of a newly added cleaner shrimp. Luckily he lost interest after the 3rd leg and the shrimp recovered.

[Elysia]

I talked to ORA at MACNA about the neon dottybacks, since I love my ORA Springer's so much. They told me that captive breeding hadn't decreased the aggressiveness in neons at all. It is such a shame, as they are stunning fish. But that does make them great fish for the single fish nano tank set up...

[Guygettnby]

too bad, in a way i wish i never bought it. but it is a very pretty fish and as long as it stays the way it is now i dont think there will be any problems. looks like it would be a pain to catch if i needed to remove it though... so lets keep fingers crossed it keeps on being the way it is. i keep my tank fed enough so it shouldnt get hungry enough to kill my shrimp.

[velvetelvis]

+1 Elysia. I've heard horror stories about how aggressive and predatory neon dottybacks are. But they'd be stunning in a little biotope tank of their own. Look at it this way: you have an excuse to set up another tank now (if you can catch the little bastige). ;)

[MTH]

I have one and he is one of the biggest punks in the tank next to my starry blenny. Made my fire fish jump out of the tank. Found it behind the stand the next day dead. When I switch tanks he's going bye-bye.

[M88A2]

i have one along with 2 pep shrimp, 2 skunk, 2 clowns and a firefish. it show no agro. towards anything. my female clown, though not the biggest fish, is the ruler of the tank. the only thing i dont like is that it moves the sand so i have a bare stop in the corner and sometimes i have to move sand off corals sitting in the bottom.

[michealprater]

I have kept them as a pair and single. They are extremely agressive to any similarly shaped fish, and yes, I did have shrimp disappear but was never able to pinpoint the culprit in the ol 110.

[mikid]

its my most beloved fish,ive had mine for almost 3 years now,29g-75g-120g....now...its tank mates are all red sea/indian ocean fish...purple tang,radiant wrasse,goldbar maroon,anthias,and my newest addition..red sea regal(4months).....coral banded shrimp,peppermint shrimp for awhile...i think he like thems:D...but i just add them from time to time...cheap and keep aptasia down....mines 4 inches long...hes not aggressive to any of the other tankmates....ive never seen any bristleworms...hes always fat...eats sometimes...i think that hes always on the hunt for food,worm,pods..etc...cant seem to kill them,tank upgrade,lost him and found him 20 minutes later in a hole in the rock,whoops:fish1:....well good luck..happy reefing:lolspin:

[ksmmike]

I have a neon dottyback in a 120 gallon tank and hes super aggressive. He killed a goby I had in there in 2 hours. Sad. I tried to get the goby out, but he hid in the rocks. Then gone. Dottyback harassed him to death.