neon dottyback

vid660

New member
I bought a neon dottyback (3-3.5 inches long) from a LFS yesterday. I just had to have it! I told her what I had in my tank and she assured me they would all get along. Well......I need some advice.

Quick summary:
75g w/ 100 lbs LR
false perc
yellow wrasse
(2) firefish
mandarin goby
yellow watchman goby / pistol shrimp
scooter blenny
cleaner shrimp
peppermint shrimp

So far, I've noticed the neon dottyback pecking at the pistol shrimp, mandarin goby, scooter blenny, and the cleaner shrimp. He seems most aggressive towards the pistol shrimp. Although the pistol shrimp does his "pistol snap" and the dottyback goes away until he sees him again.

Will he calm down? Will this combination work long term?
 
Yes, mine is a butt head too....
As long as no one messes with his "cave"
we're all good..
 
So far, he hasn't claimed any territory. He just swims throught the LR attacking everything he finds. Well, not really attacking, more of an "I'm the boss" kind of nipping.

I just wanted to know if my other fish were in any kind of real danger. I really want to keep him, but I will return him if there will be any killing.
 
on another note - 6 mos. may be a tad early for the mandarin. do you have a refugium in which a 'pod population could get going?
 
I actually got the mandarin about 2 months after I set the tank up. He was very skinny when I got him and I had to learn really quickly how to care for him. He's very fat now. Lots of pods in the LR and I've also gotten him to eat frozen brine every feeding. I also have a refugium that houses alot of pods.

Yesterday evening I was watching the neon dottyback sneak up behind the mandarin and bite him in the tail. The mandarin whipped around and they were nose to nose for probably a full minute. Just did the stare down. I guess I won't have to worry about him getting hurt by the neon dottyback. :p
 
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