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Neon Dottyback
Dottyback

Neon Dottyback

Pseudochromis aldabraensis

A small rock-dwelling fish from the Arabian Gulf region, orange-gold with neon blue lines along the dorsal, gill cover and tail. It spends its day working the rockwork and will hold a territory against fish much larger than itself, so it is kept one to a tank and added late, after quieter fish have settled. Almost all specimens sold now are captive-bred, which makes it hardy and easy to feed. The trade-off for the colour is that it hunts small ornamental shrimp and bristleworms, so it does not belong in a tank built around delicate inverts.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
3.9"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Caves, Mid-water
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Neon Dottyback gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Helfrich's FirefishNeon Dottybacks are documented as harassing small, timid fish until they are bullied to death. Helfrich's Firefish is about as timid as reef fish get.Matted FilefishAggressive dottybacks are named as tankmates to use caution with for the matted filefish. Its slow, cautious feeding style means it loses every race to a bold dottyback and ends up hiding.Orchid DottybackThe Neon Dottyback is semi-aggressive above all toward other dottybacks. The much milder Orchid Dottyback loses the cave it needs and gets bullied out of the rockwork.Springer's DottybackSpringer's Dottyback is one of the smallest and most peaceful in the family, and the Neon Dottyback reserves its worst behaviour for other dottybacks. Keep one dottyback per tank.Purple DottybackTwo Pseudochromis competing for the same caves. Both are documented as territorial and best housed singly.Dispar AnthiasDispar anthias should not be housed with dottybacks that harass small fish. The neon dottyback is a bold, territorial hunter that will chase a shy mid-water anthias off its feeding spot.Sunburst AnthiasDottybacks are named as fish that intimidate the sunburst anthias, and the neon dottyback is one of the pushier ones — feisty, territorial and not to be kept with shy species. The anthias will stay hidden and feed poorly.Yellow AssessorThe Yellow Assessor is a shy cave-dweller frequently targeted by bullies, and the Neon Dottyback is documented as untrustworthy with anything less dominant than itself. They also want the same overhangs.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Royal DottybackTwo territorial dottybacks in one tank is a fight over the same caves. Both species are documented as best kept one to a tank, and each is described as especially aggressive toward other dottybacks.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Dottyback.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangNeon Dottyback and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseNeon Dottyback and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseNeon Dottyback and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral HawkfishNeon Dottyback and Coral Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyNeon Dottyback and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishNeon Dottyback and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Potter's AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Potter's Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyNeon Dottyback and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseNeon Dottyback and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame HawkfishNeon Dottyback and Flame Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishNeon Dottyback and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Cherub AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Cherub Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Multicolor AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Multicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyNeon Dottyback and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinNeon Dottyback and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Rusty AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Rusty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishNeon Dottyback and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Fourline WrasseNeon Dottyback and Fourline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Scissortail DartfishSemi-aggressive dottybacks can bully small peaceful dartfish; risk is lower than with purple/royal dottybacks but the dartfish should be established first.