JJIM -- Do you know the scientific name for your "banded longfin basslet?" I'm not familiar with that one, and so many groups of fish are associated w/ the common name "basslet" -- dwarf seabasses and reef basslets of the family Serranidae, Gramma spp., Pseudochromids, and sometimes even Longfins. Whatever it is, it could cause problems if it is too similar in shape/size/habit as some of your other choices.
Anyroad, I think I mentioned the captive bred dottybacks that are native to the Red Sea in my top 10. That would include Pseduochromis flavivertex (sunrise dottyback), P. fridmani (orchid dottyback), P. sankeyi (Sankey's dottyback), and P. springeri (Springer's dottyback), as well as a hybrid between Sankey's and the sunrise (?) Each of these species are reported to be adaptable, reasonably hardy fish that are less aggressive than the typical dottyback. This less aggressive nature apparently comes from the fact that many of these fish live in apparrently dense groups in their native habitat, although I have read that captive breeding has increased the trait of decreased aggression. However, I talked to someone at ORA at MACNA this year, and I asked if they were having any success in breeding some of the "mean" out of P. aldabraensis, the Arabian blueline dottyback (or "neon" dottyback), and he told me that the captive reared fish appear no less aggressive than the wild caught ones. A shame really, considering what a beautiful fish the Arabian dottyback is.
I think that the more aggressive dottybacks are fine nano-dwellers if they are the ONLY fish in the nano tank. I've often thought that a Cypho purpurascens (oblique-lined dottyback) male would make a nice only-resident for a nano tank, but despite its bright colors, I would rather use a dedicated set up for a fish like an angler, that needs to be housed without tankmates for fear of predation rather than aggression.
Finally, in the Reef Fishes volume that includes dottybacks, Scott Michael writes, "One of the best ways to prevent dottybacks from inflicting harm on their tankmates is to house them in a large -the bigger the better- tank loaded with nooks, crannies, and crevices." He also notes that dottybacks are particularly intolerant of wrasses -- most egg-tending fish dislike wrasses, as they are egg-eaters.
I wouldn't keep a dottyback in a small tank with firefish. Firefish are extremely timid fish, and the agile dottyback is likely to have the firefish hiding all the time. I wouldn't purchase a 6 line wrasse for any reason for any tank, especially not if the tank housed peaceful species and/or the tank was small.
Okay, so I guess those are my thoughts on your list (and believe it or not, those are just the first ones that pop into my head!)
Anyroad, I think I mentioned the captive bred dottybacks that are native to the Red Sea in my top 10. That would include Pseduochromis flavivertex (sunrise dottyback), P. fridmani (orchid dottyback), P. sankeyi (Sankey's dottyback), and P. springeri (Springer's dottyback), as well as a hybrid between Sankey's and the sunrise (?) Each of these species are reported to be adaptable, reasonably hardy fish that are less aggressive than the typical dottyback. This less aggressive nature apparently comes from the fact that many of these fish live in apparrently dense groups in their native habitat, although I have read that captive breeding has increased the trait of decreased aggression. However, I talked to someone at ORA at MACNA this year, and I asked if they were having any success in breeding some of the "mean" out of P. aldabraensis, the Arabian blueline dottyback (or "neon" dottyback), and he told me that the captive reared fish appear no less aggressive than the wild caught ones. A shame really, considering what a beautiful fish the Arabian dottyback is.
I think that the more aggressive dottybacks are fine nano-dwellers if they are the ONLY fish in the nano tank. I've often thought that a Cypho purpurascens (oblique-lined dottyback) male would make a nice only-resident for a nano tank, but despite its bright colors, I would rather use a dedicated set up for a fish like an angler, that needs to be housed without tankmates for fear of predation rather than aggression.
Finally, in the Reef Fishes volume that includes dottybacks, Scott Michael writes, "One of the best ways to prevent dottybacks from inflicting harm on their tankmates is to house them in a large -the bigger the better- tank loaded with nooks, crannies, and crevices." He also notes that dottybacks are particularly intolerant of wrasses -- most egg-tending fish dislike wrasses, as they are egg-eaters.
I wouldn't keep a dottyback in a small tank with firefish. Firefish are extremely timid fish, and the agile dottyback is likely to have the firefish hiding all the time. I wouldn't purchase a 6 line wrasse for any reason for any tank, especially not if the tank housed peaceful species and/or the tank was small.
Okay, so I guess those are my thoughts on your list (and believe it or not, those are just the first ones that pop into my head!)
