Neon Dottybacks and Bristleworms

[Agsellers04]

I just got a Neon Dottybacl and was wondering what your experiences have been with how effective they are at cleaning up bristleworms. Will they attack the great big ones or just the smaller ones? I have about four or five of them in my 55gal that are 6" plus and countless under 6". One of them is even approaching 10". I know they are good poo cleaners but dang are they ugly!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi,

I never had a dotty. You are going to laugh, but you will miss those guys if he does eat them. Leave them in there. They do not only clean but they aerate. 5 years from now when you just have plain old sand on the bottom of the tank you will be looking at it bored, remembering the times you used to see all the cool life popping up here and there.

Wait, that’s me. My tanks so old I haven’t seen anything new in years. I miss the days I would see something new. But, yes they are ugly. So either way. If you see 4 or 5 you probably have 10 or 20 more somewhere, but again not a bad thing.

 

[ichthyogeek]

If bristleworms are the issue, then consider making a bristleworm trap to remove a large number of them, and then feed less.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Neon dottybacks are such a pretty fish but are terribly aggressive. Mine never went after bristles but they did manage to murder a 6 line and clown before he got pulled.

Traps and reduce feeding to reduce numbers. They are not a bad reef tank inhabitant compared to a dottyback.

 

[Auquanut]

I don't have any experience with dottybacks, but my melanaurus wrasse keeps them under control in my DT. I'm sure they're there, just NEVER see any. The sump is a different story. I kind of like having them around as long as they don't make a spectacle of themselves.

 

[Agsellers04]

Neon dottybacks are such a pretty fish but are terribly aggressive. Mine never went after bristles but they did manage to murder a 6 line and clown before he got pulled.

Traps and reduce feeding to reduce numbers. They are not a bad reef tank inhabitant compared to a dottyback.

I hope that is not the case in my tank. Usually if a newer fish starts getting aggressive my coral beauty, (who is the OG in the tanks) will regulate on his butt