Orchid Dottyback & Mandarin compatibility

[Nick_Northern]

Hi all,

Was hoping to get some advice on compatibility of keeping a captive bred orchid dottyback with a very small captive bred mandarin. From what I have read it seems that orchids are relatively peaceful so should be okay temperament wise but I have concerns about it outcompeting the mandarin for pods, does anyone have success keeping these species together? Do orchids spend much time looking for pods or are they more inclined to wait for food to pass by?

My tank is a 90g (48"x18"24") with somewhere in the region of 100lb of rock, all 'fake' live rock but a couple of chunks came from the LFS sump so I have a healthy pod population, I also added more pods prioring to adding the mandarin.

My other option would be a captive bred royal gramma which is potentially going to be available soon but I'm favouring the orchid not least as I removed a small eunice worm from the tank a few weeks back and whilst I am almost certain this was the only one it wouldn't hurt to have the dotty as a worm eating insurance policy!

Also would a dottyback eat my stomatella, these spawn regularly and are pretty much my main cuc for the glass?

Tank info below, thanks in advance

Nick


Tank - 48"x18"x24" (90us/75uk) / around 100lb rock

Fish (all captive-bred)
- Coral beauty angel (tiny! ~ 4cm)
- Green mandarin (even smaller! ~ 3.5m)
- 2 x ocellaris clowns
- 2 x banggai cardinals

Inverts
- 2 x Tuxedo urchin
- 2 x strawberry conch
- Trochus
- Lots of stomatella
- 2 x blue leg hermits

Various soft corals incl zoa's, leathers, anthelia, xenia, gorgonians, star polyps etc..

 

[ZOAREEFTANK]

I have a breeding pair of Mandy's and a orchid and they are completely fine together I've never had a problem.

Any fish will eat pods as it's a natural food source. If they see then they'll eat then. As far as out competing I don't think there's much worry there


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[ThRoewer]

Mandarins and Orchids get along fine.
But be careful with sixline wrasses and mandarins - the sixlines see them as competition and often kill them.

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[Nick_Northern]

Thanks for the responses and apologies for the delay!

I will give the orchid a try then I think, I was also considering adding a female mandarin too at some point but will see how fat I can keep the male first.

Any thoughts on whether an orchid would destroy my stomatella population??

Thanks

 

[NYCBOB]

I have both and they get along fine. My orchid eats pellets.