Neon dottyback and other bottom dwellers

pdxmonkeyboy · May 21, 2018

I used to have a neon dottyback in my old tank.. he was eaten by something or jumped out and was eaten by the cats.

My new tank is 6x3 with the usual tangs, 11 anthias, foxface, tail spot blenny, and a flame hawkfish.

What do peeps think about a dottyback with the hawkfish and tail spot? I dont want anything haressing my hawk fish. He is my second fav next to my achilies.

Bonus points if he takes out hermit crabs. Too many at this point. Lol

SashimiTurtle · May 21, 2018

If you want hermits gone I'd suggest a trigger. Dottybacks can get quite aggressive for such a small fish. Might harass your tailspot but I'd think the hawkfish could hold his own. If you want a peaceful sand dwelling fish look into some shrimp gobies, or maybe even one sand sifting goby if your tank is mature.

mort · May 21, 2018

I'm guessing neon is P. aldabraensis which is a semi feisty dotty that can definitely hold its own. When I was breeding these they were really aggressive to the females but not really monsters with anything else. Quiet fish like bangaii cardinals were completely ignored and I think your most likely to have problems with similar shaped species, like wrasse more than a hawkfish which I don't think will be a problem at all.
You also have plenty of space and it's likely the dotty won't move to far from the rockwork, so I don't envisage a problem but you'd have even less to worry about if you went for a more peaceful species like fridmani (or better a pair or small harem) or royal gramma. I would also consider going for a less aggressive species if you wanted to add more timid fish in the future as you'd never get the dottyback out.

eatbreakfast · May 21, 2018

In a 6x3 tank the neon dottyback won't be an issue. But he won't take out hermits.

Canthigaster puffers are an interesting fish that will eat hermits.

madweazl · May 21, 2018

They're spawns of satan and it doesnt matter what size the tank is. Sometimes they're fine but most are not; I've had three in various tanks, one was great and the other two were pure evil. Beauty is only skin deep...

pdxmonkeyboy · May 21, 2018

LOL.. So i have 3 "it will be fines" and one "spawn of satan".... sigh. I do have a tamarin and melanarus wrasses but they are hardly ever swimming near the rocks.

My tank is pretty agressive as it is. Large desjardini, hippo,achilies, powder brown, and blonde naso. Man, the naso is such a wussy.

Anyways, thanks for the advice. Sounds like it could be a reasonable impulse buy if the opporunity pops up.