Orchid Dottyback Aggresive to Firefish?

[LifeOfAquatics]

hey, so yesterday after my tank cycled i got two small (the word small is going to be very important) fish, I got a small black clown and one very small reclusive orchid dottyback (its an orchid I'm pretty sure before I put it in the tank it had the eye line). anyway, I have always adored the regular firefish. but, after looking online, I am unsure whether or not adding a firefish will be a good idea as the orchid might try and go for it because it is of the similar shape. if I added a larger firefish to the tank which has a baby orchid (by baby I mean about an inch or so), would it be alright? I'm thinking it'll be ok as if the orchid grows up with the larger firefish, then when it is older it wont try and attack it yk? plus, when it is older, say (hopefully not) if the firefihs dies, then I could add another firefish without the orchid wanting to attack it as it grew up with a firefish its whole life. what do you think? btw, the current tank is a 10 gallon but I'm planning on upgrading to a 20 gallon long. i just wanna add the firefish fast so the dottyback gets used to it. thanks!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

hey, so yesterday after my tank cycled i got two small (the word small is going to be very important) fish, I got a small black clown and one very small reclusive orchid dottyback (its an orchid I'm pretty sure before I put it in the tank it had the eye line). anyway, I have always adored the regular firefish. but, after looking online, I am unsure whether or not adding a firefish will be a good idea as the orchid might try and go for it because it is of the similar shape. if I added a larger firefish to the tank which has a baby orchid (by baby I mean about an inch or so), would it be alright? I'm thinking it'll be ok as if the orchid grows up with the larger firefish, then when it is older it wont try and attack it yk? plus, when it is older, say (hopefully not) if the firefihs dies, then I could add another firefish without the orchid wanting to attack it as it grew up with a firefish its whole life. what do you think? btw, the current tank is a 10 gallon but I'm planning on upgrading to a 20 gallon long. i just wanna add the firefish fast so the dottyback gets used to it. thanks!

typically we add fish in aggression order

firefish is passive, some dottybacks aggressive... adding sooner before dottyback establishes territory is probably good idea (though then stop adding as tank needs to adjust as you say it just finished cycling YESTERDAY...)

Also, don't think fish are like dogs. We can take bully fish out of tanks for 2-3 weeks to break territory holds, but then when reintroducing bully, its tank mates have forgotten it and they bully the bully... Given that, if it grows up with a firefish doesn't mean it will accept another firefish...

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Rickybobby]

I find fish like dottyback are aggressive to fish that are slender and long like themselves. I have a dottyback that was aggressive to a wrasse similar shape and then I added my flame angel (queen of the tank) and my dottyback backed right off the bullying

 

[temple2101]

I have an orchid and a standard firefish. The orchid was the last fish introduced to the tank. Started off fine, then got aggressive. My firefish started to hide all day and rarely come out. After a couple of weeks like this though they seemed to mostly work things out and now the firefish comes out more often. The orchid still goes after it, but not nearly as bad as before. I’ve even caught them swimming next to each other for a bit lately. Having said that, I’d be hesitant to add a firefish after the orchid. I think the fact that my firefish already had a cave/home established helped in my case.