1 Fish to add? (bicolor dottyback)

[camlov2]

I have a biocube 29 with an ocellaris clown and a bicolor (royal) dottyback (also an anemone crab, assorted crabs and snails). I would like to add a third and final fish but don't know what to do.

I tried a 6 line wrasse but that didn't end well. "royal" seemed very shy until that fish was added. He then went into attack mode.

I have since read up on royal and found I can't put a small wrasse, goby, or ornamental shrimp with him.

Any suggestions? Any suggestions without taking him back to the LFS?

Thanks

 

[demonsp]

Dotti pretty aggresive and can take care of himself.Its best to have enough rock for the fish .They like to claim an area and keep it but if the spots are low then they may fight for the better area. Also turn lights out a day or 2.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

I too had a royal dotty in my last tank. I can tell you this... A coral banded shrimp will handle his own against a dotty. I thought it was hillarious how the dotty would kind of turn **** eyed at the CBS. You could just read his mind... "Yummy!"

But he never touched him or attempted... until one day. The CBS lasted almost a full year. He became so big and juicy the dotty couldn't resist any further.

As for fish... A damsel will hold his own. When you put an aggressive fish like a dotty in, it's difficult to add another one without fighting. Your only hope is to add something just as bold and let them fight it out for territory. I added a Cinnamon Clown after my dotty... they fought for about 30 mintues and then lived peacefully ever after.

A good rule of thumb is to add fish from least aggressive to more aggressive. That way aggressive fish do not own territories as you add other fish.

If your dotty is like mine, he's real easy to catch. He generally has a favorite rock or spot to hide. You generally can just pull that rock out of the water and he's in the hole.

I suggest taking him to the LFS for trade... get something else, and then re add a dotty. They're not hard to find.