learned something new about my Neon Dottyback today

[Shawn O]

From what I've read these fish feed on small crustaceans and zooplankton.

Well, I added a single Turbo snail and six Nassarius snails. The dottyback immediately attacked the turbo snail, apparently going after it's "antennae" and then went after the Nassarius's and biting off their "siphon" tubes. Withing ten minutes it got all but one snail, which it will get as soon as it comes back below the water level of the glass.

I'm assuming the snails will die without their siphons. This fish is going to have to go to the LFS ... or live on a farm in New Hampshire with all the unwanted cats and dogs. :hammer:

I could live with not being able to add shrimps but I need my snails.

[Nina51]

dottybacks are the evil spawn of satan!

[Shawn O]

This fish has pretty much been a jerk towards the other fish and sometimes the hermits but never eaten parts of them.

[Martini5788]

Sounds like my puffer. He used to stalk the snails night and day and take chunks out whenever possible.

[Shawn O]

It would be a much easier decision if it were an ugly fish but the mrs. thinks it's the nicest looking fish in the tank.

[Martini5788]

They are very pretty fish. Maybe take her to the fish store and give her different options to choose from for fish that she likes too. That's what I have to do with my husband.

[Dkuhlmann]

Trade it in for a Royal Gramma.

LOL when I read the title of this thread I said he just figured out that dottybacks are total buttheads :D

[Martini5788]

Trade it in for a Royal Gramma.

LOL when I read the title of this thread I said he just figured out that dottybacks are total buttheads :D


Haha yeah I smiled when I read it too.

[knutrainer]

I had a strawberry dotty back and it was the terror of the tank. Had to finally pull all the rock out of the tank to get it out.

[Azeya209]

Second the royal gramma. My friend had a neon and those things are feisty little bastards.

[Sk8r]

I wish you every kind of luck catching the rascal.

[Stolireef]

All this hatin' on dottybacks. I have an orchid dottyback that is a model citizen. Then again, I eat a fillet of fish in front of the tank at least once each week to make sure he understands his place in the world.

[Scorpius]

My purple dottyback gets chased by my blue damsel. The dottyback doesn't bother anyone in my tank so far...

[Art13]

I have a purple dotty back, we'll call him Jack A., that keeps half the 90g tank to himself and took out my cleaner shrimp and caused a feather duster to move to the other side of the tank, as soon as i get some free time i'm going to have to pull the rocks out and catch him, the bottle trick doesn't work on him. That will be a good day.

[Martini5788]

I'm getting a neon dotty back and a azure damsel for my mantis tank whenever the guy can catch them. Apparently they team up together and torment all the other fish in the tank. But they will be the only fish in the 40 br with my mantis, and if they act up she will, quite literally, punch them in the face.

[Kies1]

I have a splendid dottyback and no issues. One of the least aggressive fish in my tank. Beautiful to boot. Tank bred however.

[snorvich]

All this hatin' on dottybacks. I have an orchid dottyback that is a model citizen. Then again, I eat a fillet of fish in front of the tank at least once each week to make sure he understands his place in the world.

P. fridmani is probably the only dottyback that will be a civil tank mate.

[ThRoewer]

dottybacks are the evil spawn of satan!

No, they are not. Most people just make the mistake of keeping them alone. That way they end up with a horny bachelor who has no other outlet than harassing other fish.
I kept mine mostly in pairs and then they were way too busy with themselves to do much damage.

[Shawn O]

All this hatin' on dottybacks. I have an orchid dottyback that is a model citizen. Then again, I eat a fillet of fish in front of the tank at least once each week to make sure he understands his place in the world.

LOL @ this. :)

The wife has already chosen her, er, our next fish. I'd heard Dottybacks were jerks and never wanted to get any, this fish came with the package. Then again, not a single fish in the tank was on my fish wish list.

The little sob went after one of the hermits yesterday. If I could get close to him I'd flick him in the head.

The LFS will get the rock and whatever else is hiding in it if I can't get him out of it. The last two times the rocks were in buckets, I couldn't figure out which rock he was in. At least I know that I can add a snail to each bucket and he'll come out to bite it.

Will be hunting for a peaceful replacement. The wife is getting a Green Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus tongaensis), which is listed as semi-aggressive. Hopefully it will play nice with the other fish I still have left. If not....:hammer:

[badpvtdan]

Just wanted to chime in that I had a neon dottyback and it was a serial killer.

[leetch]

dottybacks are the evil spawn of satan!

Dottybacks and Damsels are the Hannibal Lecter of fish tanks. My dotty was georgeous but he hated everything I put in the tank. I tore my tank apart to catch him and take him back to my LFS....never again...lol.

[Shawn O]

I'm starting to think that these fish are only good tank-mates for lionfish, anglerfish and large groupers.... and the previously mentioned mantis.

[eddiereefs]

+100 on the royal gramma, better looking, better attitude and friendly

[andrek787]

I lost two strawberries dotties to my six line wrass. I found the last one with nothing but head and tail left on the bones.

[Martini5788]

I lost two strawberries dotties to my six line wrass. I found the last one with nothing but head and tail left on the bones.


WHHAATTT that is crazy. Are you certain it was the 6 line?

[ThRoewer]

WHHAATTT that is crazy. Are you certain it was the 6 line?

Sixlines ar well known to be nasty too.

[andrek787]

Yes, I watched the wrasse badly beat up the first dottyback, I managed to catch him and put him in a breeder container but he died a few hours later. About a month ago the second dottyback got kicked off his territory after I re-arranged rockwork and he would hang out in the corner of the tank and slip into the rocks at night. The wrasse would periodically come out and harass him. This weekend I found his carcass still being eaten by clowns and damsel.

I still have a sunshine dotty left but he hang out in his cave and doesn't bother anybody or vise versa.

[Martini5788]

Sixlines ar well known to be nasty too.


Yes I know that. I'm just a little shocked that it was THAT aggressive.