Orchid dottyback group?
- Thread starter discocarp
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argi
Everybody Talks
When I had my 220 I put in a group of 6 (or 7, I forget). I added them all at the same time. There was never any aggression between them, but they didn't school (or shoal) in the tank. They all had their areas they would hang out in. I purchased ORA tank bred ones since I figured they were already use to being in a group as well.
HTH,
Keith
HTH,
Keith
argi
Everybody Talks
Without a doubt. I keep having them in my set ups and in my current 120 I have one. The other dottyback that I think is nice are the springeri's (Pseudochromis springeri). I haven't kept one of them (yet), but may consider one eventually.
IME as far as dottybacks go the orchids tend to be one of the more passive. In a past tank I had a sixline wrasse who pestered the orchid (despite the orchid being in the tank for quite some time before the sixline). But they are still dottybacks and can be a little aggresive especially towards smaller fish. I just recently tried to put 4 neon gobies in the tank and he started going after them right away despite the lights being off. I haven't seen the gobies since. I'm hoping they are just hiding in the rock work and will eventually come out.
IME as far as dottybacks go the orchids tend to be one of the more passive. In a past tank I had a sixline wrasse who pestered the orchid (despite the orchid being in the tank for quite some time before the sixline). But they are still dottybacks and can be a little aggresive especially towards smaller fish. I just recently tried to put 4 neon gobies in the tank and he started going after them right away despite the lights being off. I haven't seen the gobies since. I'm hoping they are just hiding in the rock work and will eventually come out.
Are the springeri's aggressive? I don't know much about them. Sixlines are absolute terrors. Never again for me! The only smaller fish I have in the tank at the moment is an old warhorse oscellaris girl that has been with me for eons. I suspect she can hold her own.
Have you (or anyone else out there) mixed the more passive dottybacks? Say orchids with a sankeyis or something along those lines?
Have you (or anyone else out there) mixed the more passive dottybacks? Say orchids with a sankeyis or something along those lines?
argi
Everybody Talks
I think they are along the lines of the orchids, but I haven't kept one so I'm not 100% sure.
Years ago I mixed two arabian (neon) dottybacks along with an orchid (all ORA). They mixed fine for me, might have been some luck though. But the neon dottybacks are more aggressive than the orchids and anything new put in the tank the neon would pester (didn't matter what size or what it was).
This is from ORA's website:
P. sankeyi:
The Striped Dottyback is found in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They live in small colonies in rock rubble at relatively shallow depths. This is one of the least territorial of the dottybacks due to its lifestyle of living in colonies with other members of the species.
P. sankeyi have a distinct black and white striped color pattern, and may be a mimic to the Coral Catfish (Plotosus lineatus).
This is an easy species to care for in the marine aquarium, as long as it's provided good rocky hiding places and zooplanktonic foods such as brine, mysid or krill shrimp. More than one per tank is possible since they exhibit colonial behavior and normally do not fight each other. It is best to introduce all the fish together when trying to establish a colony.
Orchid Dottybacks:
In aquariums, Orchid dottybacks are quite easy to keep and feed. They are small plankton feeders so foods such as brine shrimp, krill and mysid shrimp are perfect. Orchid dottybacks are moderately territorial and more than one can be kept per tank, as long as the tank has plenty of hiding places.
ORA actually has a fish called "Indigo Dottyback", that is a cross of Pseudochromidae fridmani x Pseudochromidae sankeyi
Years ago I mixed two arabian (neon) dottybacks along with an orchid (all ORA). They mixed fine for me, might have been some luck though. But the neon dottybacks are more aggressive than the orchids and anything new put in the tank the neon would pester (didn't matter what size or what it was).
This is from ORA's website:
P. sankeyi:
The Striped Dottyback is found in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They live in small colonies in rock rubble at relatively shallow depths. This is one of the least territorial of the dottybacks due to its lifestyle of living in colonies with other members of the species.
P. sankeyi have a distinct black and white striped color pattern, and may be a mimic to the Coral Catfish (Plotosus lineatus).
This is an easy species to care for in the marine aquarium, as long as it's provided good rocky hiding places and zooplanktonic foods such as brine, mysid or krill shrimp. More than one per tank is possible since they exhibit colonial behavior and normally do not fight each other. It is best to introduce all the fish together when trying to establish a colony.
Orchid Dottybacks:
In aquariums, Orchid dottybacks are quite easy to keep and feed. They are small plankton feeders so foods such as brine shrimp, krill and mysid shrimp are perfect. Orchid dottybacks are moderately territorial and more than one can be kept per tank, as long as the tank has plenty of hiding places.
ORA actually has a fish called "Indigo Dottyback", that is a cross of Pseudochromidae fridmani x Pseudochromidae sankeyi
argi
Everybody Talks
Forgot to mention...they state this about the springeri's:
As with other dottybacks, Springer's may be territorial and is aggressive towards members of its own species. It is suggested that they be kept one per tank, unless paired or housed in a very large aquarium. Springer's Dottyback is very hardy and easy to keep. Feeding frozen shrimp such as brine or mysid is best. Reproductive behavior is similar to the Orchid Dottyback.
As with other dottybacks, Springer's may be territorial and is aggressive towards members of its own species. It is suggested that they be kept one per tank, unless paired or housed in a very large aquarium. Springer's Dottyback is very hardy and easy to keep. Feeding frozen shrimp such as brine or mysid is best. Reproductive behavior is similar to the Orchid Dottyback.
Bax
Premium Member
I've never kept more then a pair at one time. But I'd really like to do a group! I would not expect them to do any more then pair up. Even my pairs spend little time together excpet to spawn. But, they are paired and devoted to their mate, no doubt.
There was a TOTM way back that was pretty small, less than 120 gallons I think, he had 11 orchids in it!
There was a TOTM way back that was pretty small, less than 120 gallons I think, he had 11 orchids in it!
I've kept Sankey's a Dottyback a year or so ago. My Cherub actually killed it eventually.. It was perfectly behaved in a relatively small (36 gallon) Reef.
Your tank is big enough, if you have enough nook, cracks, caves in your LR, go for it.
I'm considering getting a Springer's, I don't think they are high up on the Dotty aggression list..
Matthew
Your tank is big enough, if you have enough nook, cracks, caves in your LR, go for it.
I'm considering getting a Springer's, I don't think they are high up on the Dotty aggression list..
Matthew
angel-luver!!
Member
i think you will be fine with it, as said above they probably wont group together just sort out their own little territories. you will probably get several breeding which will be interesting to watch.
i have worked in an aquatics store and we would get batches of tank raised orchids in regularly that we would pair up and/or put into groups, never really any major aggresion despite the fact that the tanks were small.
i have worked in an aquatics store and we would get batches of tank raised orchids in regularly that we would pair up and/or put into groups, never really any major aggresion despite the fact that the tanks were small.
