are dottybacks too agressive?

[chadski]

i have a purpleback pseudochromis and a small snowflake eel right now in a 10 gal tank. id like to get a cleaner shrimp and maybe one other fish. but i just had 2 fish die and the lfs told me it was because of the eel the 1st time and the dottyback the second time. is there another fish, that is colorful, that would fit, and not be attacked? thanks for any comments

[know-it-all]

I've heard of them being aggresive, but I have 2 in my 94g tank with no issues

[leveldrummer]

i would think the eel would eat any fish small enough, i would look for larger fish.

[know-it-all]

the SnowFlake eel should Prob. go into a bigger tank
they get about 36" long
and you have a 20" long tank

[cdemeritt]

id like to get a cleaner shrimp

I thought snowflake eels were shrimp eaters?

[mdcorcoran]

there is a difference between a purple pseduochromis and an orchid dottyback, the latter of which is not aggressive. You can tell the difference between them a few ways, but the easiest for me is how they swim. The orchid dottyback swims more like and eel, putting its spine into an 'S' shape, while the pseudochromis (the aggressive punk) swims like a damsel.

[combiemaster]

i have a magenta dottyback it has little heart shape eye is is very good in my comunnity tank some time he will chase a bangay cardinal but nothing serious

[jojon60]

With only a 10 gallon tank, 2 fish are more then enough IMO.

[pastina]

my magenta dottyback was just killed my a clarkii clown smaller than the dotty
nice looking fish, too bad he wasnt tougher

[Sambo]

I have a strawberry dottyback - first inhabitant in the tank an he has been fine so far - added 3 chromis, 1 clarkii and a yellow tang and he's been the least of my troubles. Territorial very occasionally - and he will swim fast at other fish if they get too close to his hole, but my main problem has been with my clarkii who has monstered 2 of my chromis....

[Sambo]

Is there an ichthyologist who can tell me the difference between: a magenta dottyback, a strawberry dottyback and an orchid dottyback? I know the strawberry dottyback is pseudochromis porphyriae...

[Sambo]

OK - I've answered my own question: Magenta and strawberry dottyback are the same: Pseudochromis porphyreus. Orchid and purple dottyback are the same species: Pseudochromis fridmani

[betamed]

I think your tank is full.

[ChrisPrusha]

With respect, I think it is full, too.

[chadski]

Originally Posted by cdemeritt

I thought snowflake eels were shrimp eaters?

they are but i have also heard nothing will bother a cleaner shrimp but maybe that only applies to other fish, not eels.