New Hobbyist: 20 Gallon?

[The BookWorm]

"The firefish normally hang in the water column above the rocks, and the dottyback cruises around the middle of the rocks. That being said... an orchid dottyback is recommended for tanks 30 gallons or larger. Putting it in a 20 gallon tank with passive fish will most likely end badly."

A lot of sites actually say that a 20 gallon tank is fine for P. fridmani, and I have read several accounts of people successfully keeping them in a 10 gallon tank.

"Pj I believe are better in groups."

I've read mixed reports about cardinals. Sometimes they get along and sometimes they kill each other off one by one.

Maybe I could take the fire off the list, if aggression between the firefish and the dottyback would end up being a problem.

 

[trigger40]

cardinals, like clowns, like to pair and beat up the other ones. thats probably why you are hearing these bad things about them. dottyback is perfect for that tank size, but they are aggressive.

 

[pegasus]

"The firefish normally hang in the water column above the rocks, and the dottyback cruises around the middle of the rocks. That being said... an orchid dottyback is recommended for tanks 30 gallons or larger. Putting it in a 20 gallon tank with passive fish will most likely end badly."

A lot of sites actually say that a 20 gallon tank is fine for P. fridmani, and I have read several accounts of people successfully keeping them in a 10 gallon tank. Maybe I could take the fire off the list, if aggression between the firefish and the dottyback would end up being a problem.

You can "successfully" keep a dottyback in a 1 qt. Mason jar, but it certainly won't be happy. Dottybacks love to explore, and they're constantly on the move. Giving them ample space to do what they naturally do will make for a happier fish. The tank recommendations take that fish's space requirements into consideration. When you add other fish to an aggressive fish's territory, the chances of aggression increase. Passive, schooling fish will typically share a smaller area (most of the time) with passive non-conspecifics, but non-passive fish... not so much.

I think scratching the firefish is a good idea.

 

[jay0705]

I agree. My sunrise dotty back kills shrimp!!! Reef safe my ass lol. That said while it is by no means, is passive its not overly aggressive. The tank mates tho are far from easily intimidated tho. Yellow tail damsel , maroon clown, spotted mandarin, scooter blenny. All fish coexist well

 

[pegasus]

My Neon Dottyback antagonizing a new peppermint shrimp:

 

[The BookWorm]

So, is the dottyback a no go then? If it were added last, the other fish would have time to stake a territory.

 

[pegasus]

So, is the dottyback a no go then? If it were added last, the other fish would have time to stake a territory.

If added last, the other fish should be fine. No guarantees, but it's your best bet if a dottyback is on your list...

 

[jay0705]

Its not so much there territory as it is he'll make it his

 

[trigger40]

my dottyback will pick on my clown in my 40g. so i see what these guys are saying.

 

[The BookWorm]

If they're really that bad, maybe I could put a bicolor blenny instead. Would this stocking list be better?

- 1 clownfish
- 1 pajama cardinal
- 1 bicolor blenny

...
And on the subject of lights again, the tank has a 15 watt day lit spectrum LED. I can probably figure out how to put a second bulb over the tank, if that can keep any corals. I don't know where to find other lights though.