Red Sea Pseudochromis question

[ryantm]

Of the four that are available:

springers
sunrise
Orchid
dutoiti

Which are the most agreeable? I know most dottybacks are aggressive towards fish etc, but I'm making a biotope and have decided to include one with an Ecsenius gravieri blenny. I would like to keep a cleaner shrimp but this is not a deal breaker as the history of dottys with ornamental shrimp isn't the best.

-Tom

[SDguy]

I've kept all but the orchid. Dutoiti and flavivertex were quite aggressive. I currently have a springeri...pretty mellow considering he's in the confines of a 30g tank. Only my springeri has ever taken a liking to ornamental shrimp (he's ripped apart several at this point). I've heard that orchids are the most mellow, but I have no first hand experience.

hth

[AIMFish]

I'll comment on orchids then! I get them captive bred and have yet to see a real mean one. They have been and are currently being kept with cleaner shrimp, small gobies, blennies, hermits, snails, clowns, cardinals, and even damsels. I would make sure you have a lid on your tank because I have had a few jump.

[Kahuna Tuna]

The mellowest dottyback I've ever kept is another Red Sea species, the Sankey's pseudochromis. I kept a group of four and I had cleaner shrimp as well, very peaceful little fish. Not the most colorful pseudo but very cool little fish.

[Vili_Shark]

FEM it goes something like this:
1.P.fridmani
2.P.springeri
Then C.flavivertex which can become quite agressive...the C. dutoiti, I shouldnt even mention, I had one years ago mega agressive in a 150G tank he put a whole school of P.fridmani restricted to a 10" rock (we're talking chinese wall type tank) and killed any small fish that came after a year or so he settled in.

For your biotop, Fridmani and sprigeri sgouldnt be a problem, just get a larger shrimp in there first let it acclimate and then put the Pseudochromis, provide alot of hiding places for the shrimps especialy for the times when he shed the skin and is fragile during that time.

Good luck.