FYI! Dottie back is evil

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

I HAD a firefish for almost a year that hid all the time from a dottie back I have had for about 6 months. Today it's cave got blocked by my sea urchin and the dottie back killed it!!! I had to flush him after I realized there was no coming back from his injuries...so my mixed reef is down to 4 fish

Now I know what happened to my poor YWG I lost about 4 months ago....So IMO never add a dottie back to your tank they are pretty but EVIL! I'm so sad now....crying over here

sp1187 · Jan 13, 2020

I have 2, an small orchid & a medium bi-color. haven't had any issues.
sorry you did.

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

I think it's something about the gobies because the other fish seem fine with the dottie. He has grown since I put him in there and the other fish (gobies) hid all the time which made him think that it was a new fish I think when he finally saw them...he killed them both. This ine I just witnessed the crime

MichaelReefer · Jan 13, 2020

Droberts0724 said:
I HAD a firefish for almost a year that hid all the time from a dottie back I have had for about 6 months. Today it's cave got blocked by my sea urchin and the dottie back killed it!!! I had to flush him after I realized there was no coming back from his injuries...so my mixed reef is down to 4 fish Now I know what happened to my poor YWG I lost about 4 months ago....So IMO never add a dottie back to your tank they are pretty but EVIL! I'm so sad now....crying over here

Dude, my lady saw my Dottie literally chasing after my Melanurus Wrasse that is like five times his size! This was last night. Was like what the heck, this dudes crazy.

nereefpat · Jan 13, 2020

What species of dottyback? And what is the tank size?

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

MichaelReefer said:
Dude, my lady saw my Dottie literally chasing after my Melanurus Wrasse that is like five times his size! This was last night. Was like what the heck, this dudes crazy.

Yes when I finally caught the firefish to seperate him from the tank he had wounds all over his back from bites and trying to hide and get away from the dottie. I am literally sad now and my nano only has 4 fish now and I can't add anything else because thd dottoe back is so aggressive to anything new to the tank that has the same body style that he does! He died about 15 minutes later...

MichaelReefer · Jan 13, 2020

nereefpat said:
What species of dottyback? And what is the tank size?

Mine is a Diadem Dotty. Reefer 250, 54 Gallon display tank.

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

MichaelReefer said:
Mine is a Diadem Dotty. Reefer 250, 54 Gallon display tank.

32 gallon and not exactly sure...its black and blue neon dottyback think maybe ORA all I know is it's fine with cardinalfish and clowns just hated my gobies with same body type. Much like the cleaner shrimp he inspects everything that comes in my tank! Like my crab, shrimp, snails and hermits...

eschaton · Jan 13, 2020

Dottybacks vary tremendously in terms of aggression depending upon the species. Something like an Orchid will be totally peaceful, while Neons are generally pretty nasty fish.

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

eschaton said:
Dottybacks vary tremendously in terms of aggression depending upon the species. Something like an Orchid will be totally peaceful, while Neons are generally pretty nasty fish.

Yes...wish the dude at LFS told me this. I bought it tiny though he is very territorial and keeps to his space mostly. He likes to swim in and out of the little spaces of the rocks. He has grown and as of today killed off both of my gobies he apparently didn't like. This little ****** owes me 46$ for my Firefish and more for my anguish and frustration

I guess now the tank will be peaceful as he murdered the fish he didn't approve of. I just wish I could add 1 more fish to my tank now...as it's mostly coral but don't want to test the waters so to speak.

eschaton · Jan 13, 2020

Droberts0724 said:
Yes...wish the dude at LFS told me this. I bought it tiny though he is very territorial and keeps to his space mostly. He likes to swim in and out of the little spaces of the rocks. He has grown and as of today killed off both of my gobies he apparently didn't like. This little ****** owes me 46$ for my Firefish and more for my anguish and frustration I guess now the tank will be peaceful as he murdered the fish he didn't approve of. I just wish I could add 1 more fish to my tank now...as it's mostly coral but don't want to test the waters so to speak.

There are scrappier fish that could do okay with your dottyback, like a lot of damsels, maroon clowns, some wrasse, etc.

Droberts0724 · Jan 13, 2020

eschaton said:
There are scrappier fish that could do okay with your dottyback, like a lot of damsels, maroon clowns, some wrasse, etc.

Yes I was thinking about getting a wrasse fish but am now also hesitant because I don't want any of my other fish to die! I had that firefish forever!!

nereefpat · Jan 13, 2020

Bummer. Unfortunately many can be really aggressive. I agree that you want an orchid. P. diadema and neon can be really nasty, so can royal or purple or strawberry.