Ora dottybacks

[running scott]

Does anyone have any experience with the ORA captive bred dottybacks? I have 168 gallon tank with lots of rocks. As of now I have: 1hippo tang, 1yellow tang, 1 blue throat trigger, 1 occilaris clown, 1 hoeven's wrasse, 2 yellow tail damsels, and 1 royal gramma . All my fish get along great, but most people who see my tank say it looks under stocked. I have read the horror stories people have written about how aggressive their dottybacks are, and how hard it was to remove them. Just wondering if these Ora captive bred compare? They claim multiples could be added to a tank as long as they added at the same time.

 

[microlady]

I love my orchid dottyback, P. fridmani. It's not aggressive in my 100 gallon, and I had one years ago in a 29 with a pair of ocellaris clowns. At one time I had a beautiful neon orange dottyback and it was the meanest fish I've ever owned (along with a 6 line wrasse). I had to tear down the tank to remove it. It was beautiful, but it should have been with some triggers, large angels, or puffers. The orchid is probably the only one I'd trust with somewhat peaceful fish.

 

[o2manyfish]

I have 3 ORA Springeri, Maybe 6 Frimandi, 3 Sankeye and 2 Indigo.

I have a friend that just added 8 ORA Frimandi, 8 Springeri and 8 Flaviritex.

Mine are all doing well. My friends are only 10 days in the tank but are all doing great.

Dave B

 

[microlady]

In one tank? Good luck.

 

[Cosmojo]

I have 3 ORA Springeri, Maybe 6 Frimandi, 3 Sankeye and 2 Indigo.

I have a friend that just added 8 ORA Frimandi, 8 Springeri and 8 Flaviritex.

Mine are all doing well. My friends are only 10 days in the tank but are all doing great.

Dave B

How big is the tank?

 

[o2manyfish]

My current tank is 400g. My friends is 540.

In a previous 125 I kept Frimandi, Springeri, Flavirtex together for years.

Dave

 

[HPark]

Any additional thoughts on Sunrise Dottybacks (Pseudochromis flavivertex)?

Some pictures really show a blue shine, others seem faded. Is this mood dependent or are most washed out? Does it help to have multiples like with wrasses to bring out the super male?

 

[running scott]

So good to hear some positive reports on these fish. I was beginning to think that ORA was wasting it's time breeding them. I think it's pretty neat they have even been able to produce some hybrids.

 

[o2manyfish]

The Flavirtex can definitely be different colors depending on mood, and where it was last hanging out (light or cave).

I think from looking back at my old tank photos (20+ years) that the wild pseudochromis had more brilliant colors. Not that the ORA aren't striking but the colors just don't seem to pop as much.

The Springeri are still the same color distinction.

But the Frimandi's that we used to get from the wild were brilliant fuschia colored with an electric blue glowing stripe through the eye (similar to the springeri). The ORA frimandi have lost any of the electric blue eyestripe. There is a dark colored stripe but it is neither blue or glowing.

I also think that the pseudos from the wild use to grow to a larger mature size. My previous ORA Sankeye got to a nice mature size. And the springeri grew well. But the Frimandi do not seem to become the big full fish that the wild ones used to.

Then again that was a long time ago, and my mind is slipping so perhaps it's just fond memories

Dave B

 

[running scott]

O2manyfish, you might be on to something about the size. I read a article about the Splendid dottyback in ReefKeeping magazine, and the article said it got up to 8"!!! I think ORA claims that their tank bred ones only get up to 3" or so! But what I am really concerned about is how less aggressive the ORA fish might be compared to the wild ones. I have heard people say that once you put one in a tank, you can't get anymore fish.

 

[Deleted member 336650]

I've seen a splendid before that is about 6" in a 300g & he did fine with others. I would really like one in my 120g but am afraid of how one would act.

 

[running scott]

Hotdogmj71, was the splendid you saw a ORA captive bred one, or a wild one? I'm hoping someone with experience with the ORA dottybacks will join this thread.

 

[o2manyfish]

Scott,

I have been adding ORA pseudos to my tank for about the past 3 years. During that time I have added them both slowly as individuals and in groups. I had a crash 2 years ago and had to rebuild most of my fish collection.

I haven't had any issues with any of the ORA pseudos bothering anybody. I had a pair of Sankeye that grew full size, and then I loss one of them out of the blue. I added 3 tiny Sankeye and neither the full grown Sankeye or Indigo paid any mind.

I have added frimandi and springeri at different ages and no aggression issues.

I do have a 400g tank, with a heavy fish population, and have found that within chaos there is peace. I have lots of 'aggressive' fish that in a busy community don't bother anyone.

Dave B

 

[NYCBOB]

i have an ora orchid and springieri in a 90. no issue whatsoever. the orchid is very very shy.

 

[running scott]

Thanks to all who helped in my decision. I think I'm going to give these ORA captive breds a try. I will probably go with a Splendid, Neon, Orchid, and a Sunrise. I'm thinking that introducing them all at the same time will help disperse any aggressiveness.

 

[Moort82]

I've had a pair of ORA indigo's for around five years (well no longer a pair as the male bred himself to death around a year ago), and had a pair of sunrise I had to move on when I closed my breeding system. I would recommend them to anyone for their hardiness and the fact they are healthy and able to breed. I also have never had an issue adding new fish with them or having problems with mixing, including wrasse and mandarins.

168 g is a good sized tank to mix the dotties but if it were me I would think more of a group of one species rather than mixing larger more aggressive species with more passive ones. You might be ok and I've never tried it but splendid have a reputation for being aggressive, neon can be aggressive (had a breeding pair and the male nearly killed the female, also heard of this where the female was bitten to death on several occasions), whilst the orchid are very laid back for dotties (as are springers, Sankey's and indigo) and sunrise aren't much more of a problem.

I would say that most of the problems with them being aggressive is down to mixing them with too small fish or timid species. If you avoid things like firefish and other species who seem afraid of their own shadow and stick to those that can stick up for themselves a little then I think they are a great addition.

 

[Deleted member 336650]

Hotdogmj71, was the splendid you saw a ORA captive bred one, or a wild one? I'm hoping someone with experience with the ORA dottybacks will join this thread.

I will see the tank owner Wednesday & will ask her.

I had never thought to ask.