How agressive are neon dottybacks?

[Reefmaster1996]

Okay so I am considering getting a neon dottyback for my 20 gallon long, I already have a ocelaris clownfish pair and a ywg will the dottyback annoy my other fish.

[GiantBen]

I had a purple strip that terrorized my clownfish unti lit jumped out of my BC29. Also ate my cleaner shrimp.

[1.0reef]

It depends on the fish.

[Reef Casa]

dottybacks are the most evil little son a b$@%#s you can buy. period

 

but.... it gets along ok with my Oc clowns... sometimes

Edited June 15, 2012 by marc3lo19

[belsenj]

Yup, evil little witches...but that being said, if you make it the last fish in the tank, things can work out fairly well. If you are thinking of introducing a new fish after the dottyback has set its territory, think again, or do what I did.

 

Take the Dottyback out prior to putting the new fish in. Give it a time out for about 24 hours and then put it back in the tank. Sounds easy getting a dotty out of the tank, but it's not

 

You may still have problems too, depends on the fish. But as a rule, these fish are very territorial. I have one that early on decided that she needed to protect and feed my Coral banded Shrimp. She has since given up on those duties, but she patrols the tank (30G) 24 hours a day, looking for any newcomers, lol.

 

When I introduced my Fire Clown, it was not easy. I had to set up a boundary with fish nets for her not to cross. I spent some time at the tank (hours, LOL) the first night and she quickly got the message...DO NOT CROSS. Smart fish. Within 2 days all was well and everyone lives in harmony since then. She is a witch though, the tank belongs to her.

[Reefmaster1996]

Yup, evil little witches...but that being said, if you make it the last fish in the tank, things can work out fairly well. If you are thinking of introducing a new fish after the dottyback has set its territory, think again, or do what I did.

 

Take the Dottyback out prior to putting the new fish in. Give it a time out for about 24 hours and then put it back in the tank. Sounds easy getting a dotty out of the tank, but it's not

 

You may still have problems too, depends on the fish. But as a rule, these fish are very territorial. I have one that early on decided that she needed to protect and feed my Coral banded Shrimp. She has since given up on those duties, but she patrols the tank (30G) 24 hours a day, looking for any newcomers, lol.

 

When I introduced my Fire Clown, it was not easy. I had to set up a boundary with fish nets for her not to cross. I spent some time at the tank (hours, LOL) the first night and she quickly got the message...DO NOT CROSS. Smart fish. Within 2 days all was well and everyone lives in harmony since then. She is a witch though, the tank belongs to her.

I have thrown out the idea of a dotty back, but I am considering adding two more juvenile unsexed baby black ocelaris clownfish? Will my formed pair attack them or will they live in harmony like a group of clownfish with a anemone In the wild.

[Cole.mormon]

They will die

[Matteo]

. 

[RoyalGramma001]

Aggressive

[geekreef_05]

A 20 long is likely not large enough for the dottyback to co-exist peacefully with other tankmates. When i started reefing I had an orchid dottyback in a 10 gallon that was a terror for a long time. Once moved to a 75 gallon he was fine - but in the 10 gallon that fish harassed every other living create in the tank, from the o.clown pair to hermit crabs. Over time the 75 gallon got split into a 125 mixed reef and a 33 long. I put the o.clowns in the 33 long, but I was not about move the dottyback in there! 

 

Later a rogue crab ate every single fish in that 33 long and then soft coral in that 33 long....after that I got out of reefing .. until now! 

 

 

[Ladytank]

I put a mirror on my tank for my dotty back. He picked on himself. Don't let it be the first fish introduced.