Dottybacks Morgan Oliver Aquaculture 2014

What are Dottybacks?  Family Pseudochromidae, Genus Pseudochromis  Ornamentals  Found in coral reefs in the wild  Cheaper in aquaculture  More readily available now

More basic info Hermaphroditic Hardy aquarium fish, adapt quickly territorial May eat tankmate, can be aggressive Prefer dim tanks

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Taxonomy- aquacultured species Orchid dottyback A. fridmani territorial Most “laid back”

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Diadema dottyback P. diadema Semi-aggressive Like to be hidden

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Striped dottyback P. sankeyi Live in colonies Less aggressive

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Sunrise dottyback P. flavivertex Moderately aggressive/territorial

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Bicolor dottyback P. paccagnellae Aggressive and territorial

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Elongate dottyback P. elongatus less aggressive rare

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Magenta dottyback P. porphyreus Similar to orchid dottyback

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Indigo dottyback P. fridmani x sankeyi Show mild behavior of striped dottyback

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Neon dottyback P. aldabraensis Aggressive

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Black margin dottyback P. tapeinosoma Very aggressive to conspecifics (same species)

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Springeri dottyback P. springeri Aggressive to conspecifics

Taxonomy- aquacultured species Splendid dottyback M. splendens May eat crustaceans Somewhat aggressive

Cost Very expensive if caught in wild Much cheaper in aquaculture Can find them in most pet stores

Life cycle of reef fishes Adults spawn Hatched larvae are taken to open ocean where they feed on zooplankton near surface Larvae mature and become equipped to survive pelagic environment Few make it back to the reef, transfer into juveniles, and then sexually mature into adults

Reproduction in captivity and production methods One mated pair per tank They are hermaphroditic, one will grow larger and become the male Females spawn 2-4 times/month Males responsible for eggs

Reproduction in captivity and production methods Female deposits eggs into male’s nest Male fertilizes and cares for the eggs After spawning, eggs hatch on the evening of 5 th day

Reproduction in captivity and production methods Transparent larvae Separated from adults Active in the entire water column Grow very fast when taken care of correctly

Reproduction in captivity and production methods Day 9- slight coloration Day 20- juveniles, not larvae Day – juveniles start to settle out and need hiding places to undergo metamorphosis Adult coloration within 7 days Stay in hiding and eat what floats by Rapid growth

Feeds and feeding Preferably, foods high in natural pigments Plankton, bloodworms, brine shrimp, pellets, flakes Live rock is helpful

Water chemistry and culture requirements Salt water Lots of hiding places and low light, since they are used to deep water Alkalinity: ppm pH Temp C

AdvantagesDisadvantages  Beautiful  Must feed correctly or they’ll lose color  Very hardy  Not easy to grow  Adults= easy to take care of  Aggressive and territorial  Not picky eaters  Can be expensive

sources W7U9z0ErHSsASfn4D4AQ&ved=0CAQQqi4oAghttp:// W7U9z0ErHSsASfn4D4AQ&ved=0CAQQqi4oAg fish/dottybacks/orchid-dottybackhttp:// fish/dottybacks/orchid-dottyback