Starting a Dottyback Controversy

[SeeDemTails]

I own an Orchid...and I have owned a neon. The neon is certainly more aggressive than the orchid. I feel I could put the orchid in my 37 right now with no aggression problems, but he would out compete my mandarin for pods.

 

They are fine with almost any fish, BUT......

 

They will both kill shrimp.....which is a good thing because shrimp are not reef safe, especially peppermints.....they are coral annoying azzholes that I condone dottybacks ripping apart.

 

Just because a dottyback is small doesnt mean it wont kill the shirmp, it just waits for the shrimp to molt and soften up.

[geekreef_05]

I have had an orchid dotty..

...originally he started in my very first 10 gallon nano. This was with a pair of O clowns and a couple shrimp w/ softies. In that tank he was noticeably aggressive - towards the male clownfish as well as anything else that moved. Id catch him knocking snails over or picking on a crab occasionally.

 

Eventually he was moved into a 60 gallon that was temporary and then into a 33L tank (4' and also temporary). His final days were lived out in a 75 gallon which eventually ended in a catastrophic crash that killed everything. He stayed with the clown fish the entire time through those moves.

 

Very sharply and distinctly did his behavior changed once he was out of the 10 gallon. He NEVER acted up in the 33L or the 75 gallon. He'd cruze the tank, looking for pods all day instead. The 60 gallon might have been a break-in period for him, cause he would sometimes pester the male clown, probably out of habit at that point.

 

Interesting to note is that he never picked on larger fish, including the female clown or the YT & butterfly in the 75. I once caught him attempting to give my sixline guff, but the sixline wouldnt have any of it and thats the last time they tango'd. I think the most important part is that his behavior drastically changed once he got moved into a larger tank.

 

I did noticed people saying things about them being invert killers and shrimp killers. Well I had him in the tank, at different points in time, with Pep shrimp, cleaners and blood shrimp.. none of which he picked on. Also I never saw him attempt to 'kill' anything. It looked like he was doing it out of bordom or something else. For instance with the snails, he'd find an easy target on the sand and knock him over. Then once upside down he'd just knock him somemore, instead of trying to bite or nip at the snail.

[Sctn4Elk]

OK, so from those people who have actually owned one of the two I was asking about....it seems that they CAN be aggressive but not overly. Mine shares his home with a cleaner shrimp (which he lets clean him regularly), lots of hermits and snails, an emerald crab and a goby.

 

So I guess it is like any fish and you could get a bad apple...but for the other psuedochromis....they need large tanks...OK...got it...thanks, this was the info I was looking for...I don't want to recommend a fish that will kill everything just because mine is peaceful.

 

I knew this thread would help even if I don't get along with or agree with everyone here....

 

THANKS NR