The Dottyback Fish: Great for that Specific Tank Set-up!

The Dottyback is a feisty and aggressive fish with vibrant coloration and a personality to match. Averaging just a mere 2 inches in size, these fish can definitely take care of themselves and can wreck havoc upon docile community marine fish if care is not administered. Dottybacks are closely related to the true basses as they do in fact look similar to th groupers and basslets however their is one big difference between the two. Dottybacks consist of 1-3 spines on the top of their dorsal fin area whereas true basses consist of 7-13 spines.

Dottybacks make up the family known as Pseudochromidae and are broken down into three subfamilies though only one is offered for sale in the saltwater aquarium trade, that being the pseudochromidae. They have small canine teeth with pear-shaped eyes and a body similar to blennies but are predaceous in nature.

Hailing from the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific, these reef fish are most commonly seen darting in and out of rock and coral formations in lagoon, reef and seaward flat biotopes. To keep a dottyback successfully in captivity for any length of time, it is pertinent to have a substantial amount of live rock and coral to afford this fish a place to retreat and hide in secrecy.

This group of fish are extremely aggressive and territorial so being aware of this before any decision to incorporate one of these into your tank must be employed. It is possible to add one or more of these in a larger tank of 100 gallons or larger or if you have a pair right of the bat, however, other than under those two circumstances, it is advisable to keep just one of these fish in a tank. This species of fish is reminiscent of the freshwater Betta though dottybacks have sharp teeth. It is advantageous to keep these with larger fish such as Lionfish, Grouper, Large Angelfish and Triggers as the dottyback shouldn't be tempted to go after a larger fish. Problems arise when this fish is placed in a tank with a fish it doesn't like, normally smaller and docile in nature like a Gramma, Blenny or Goby.

These fish are so easy to keep as they do not seem susceptible to the maladies associated with most other fish. They also handle collecting, shipping and handling stresses very well.

Dottybacks will feed on anything and everything, it seems, much in the same way as the Amazon predator, the Piranha. Crustaceans, zooplankton, meaty fare, flake, and frozen foods will be readily accepted. These fish are considered reef safe due to their eating habits thus for the most part will leave invertebrates and corals alone. Feeding these fish in small feedings 2-3 times a say is ideal with a nice selection of various foods to offer them proper dietary requirements, to ensure health, vigor and vibrant coloration.

The colors portrayed by these fish is nothing less than phenomenal. Vibrant reds, yellows, pinks, blues and violets and combinations of these colors are often evident. The Neon and Orchid Dottyback's are the two most popular species but are at a premium as they are not very common and the price associated with these is quite astonishing. The Magenta(Strawberry), Sunrise, Bi-color and Diadema Dottyback are other species of Dottybacks that are encountered in your local pet stores.

These fish can make a wonderful addition to a reef or fish only tank and can be housed by both novice and expert aquarists alike due to their ease of keeping. Their boisterous attitude and territorial ism has to be taken into consideration to determine whether the initial inhabitants can handle the ravenous and aggressive behavior portrayed by these little beauties. If the dottyback is welcomed into your tank, by the other fish, what a nice addition you can enjoy and explore, as their curious nature combined with their beauty and ability to be seen frequently will enable you to add one more highlight to your tanks diversity and chemistry.