Contemplating Pseudochromis springeri...

[velvetelvis]

You know how you get in one of those moods where you want to try something new? I'm in one. I've gotten interested in P. springeri and have been doing some research on them (including on these forums). I like their unusual coloring and small size.

Seems like people have had fairly positive experiences with theirs, so my question is: those of you who have kept springeri, do you think a pair could work in a 34G Solana with SPS? I know they're reef-safe as far as corals are concerned, but I also have tubeworms, a feather duster worm, peppermint shrimp, and a pair of tiny gobies. The tank is open-top, so I'm also worried about jumping.

Also--and I realize this is a totally subjective judgment--which do you think are more interesting and entertaining to watch: ocellaris clownfish, or the springeri dottybacks?

 

[SDguy]

My favorite Pseudo! Got along great with my fish (clowns, tang, anthias). Picked apart any shrimp added to the tank, though, and also went after bristleworms.

Didn't much care for my randall's watchman goby either, now that I think about it.

Pair of "tiny" gobies would be toast, IMO.

 

[Confooseld]

Mine was pretty mean, I wouldn't try a pair in a tank less than 4ft but I honestly never looked in to pairing it so it might work your call though. I could see it pestering your gobies and shrimp and tubeworm they're pretty small so I don't know if I could eat a tube worm. The feather dusters would be toast though me thinks.
Entertainment wise I'd pick the clowns they act more like trained dogs after a while, the dotty will just be a mean cat. The dotty is a really flitty fish and kind of a pain to see. The clowns you will see out in the open 24/7.

 

[velvetelvis]

Thanks for the advice. I actually just read an article in the latest issue of Reef Life that mentioned that springeris have actually been seen attacking and killing Banggai cardinals. :eek2: Seeing as how one species is found in the Red Sea region and the other is found in Indonesia, this obviously happened in captivity--that effectively eliminated them from further consideration in my book.

I'm still intrigued by the dottybacks; maybe I'll try a fridmani instead? One supplier I talked to said he keeps a pair in a 29G with clownfish, inverts, and neon gobies and has no problems...then again, he is trying to sell me fish...

 

[IFbettas]

Pseudochromis as a group are usually pretty aggressive, but the fridmani/ orchid dottyback is one of the better tempered ones. That would probably be the best choice. You can also look into the indigo dottyback which ORA produces. It is a hybrid and is relatively mild tempered too.

 

[Bax]

+1 for the orchid pair.
I've had an individual in a 26 with a pair of o. clowns and a CB, a pair in a 75 g, a pair in a 120, and now again a pair in a 75g and they get along with everyone.

Don't be supprised when the pair are more aggressiv eto eah other then anything else in the tank. Iv'e said it before, the orchids when paired are more like fueding neighbors with benefits.

They may have taken out smaller permints, IDK. But, large peps and blood shrimp have always been OK with mine, and they do go for small bristle worms.

Awesome fish to pair in any size tank IMO.

 

[Elysia]

Wait now! Why is it so easy for people to believe that orchid dottybacks can be less than evil, but not Springer's?

At the last MACNA, ORA set up a few tanks and they had multiple Springer's in together. I must admit, those fish were ripping one another apart. But they were ignoring the other fish in the tank.

I have a Springer in a nano tank with other "borderline" fish (neither passive nor aggressive.) They get along fine. The only shrimp I ever had in the tank was a cleaner who I ended up killing in a rock slide (and it had just shed, so it had no protection.) I've never been able to keep ornamental featherdusters alive (gave up after losing two,) but I have some tiny hitchhiking ones that are fine, along with the rest of my clean up crew. The Springer's tankmates are a Falco hawk, clown, damsel, and Valentini puffer. No one bothers anyone (other than the damsel tail smacking the puffer every once in a while.) And the Springer is definately more interesting than any of the clowns that I own.

While I doubt I would pair the Springers, I certainly wouldn't turn my back on them, either. They certainly solve bristle worm problems, and they are very cool fish.

 

[Bax]

Eysia

The problem is if you add the wrong body type to any dottyback, and you don't habe the room and cover, they may turn leathal.

 

[NYCBOB]

i keep an orchid and springiri dottybacks in the same tank. they leave each other alone.