Dottybacks in Aquaculture
Anna Hawkins
DISL Aquaculture 2013
What are dottybacks?
• Ornamental aquarium
fish
• Family Pseudochromidae
▫ Genus Pseudochromis
• Found wild in coral reefs
• Aquaculture = CHEAPER
Orchid dottyback, A. fridmani
Typical behavior
• Territorial of preferred
home
• Tankmates determine
aggressiveness
• May eat certain
tankmates
• Hermaphroditic
Aquacultured Species
• Neon dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
aldabraensis
• Aggressive – eats small
fish and ornamental
shrimp
Aquacultured Species
• Diadema dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
diadema
• Semi-aggressive
• Needs lots of hiding spots
Aquacultured Species
• Elongate dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
elongatus
• Much less aggressive
• Rarer variety
Aquacultured Species
• Sunrise dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
flavivertex
• Moderately aggressive
and territorial
Aquacultured Species
• Orchid dottyback
• Scientific name: A.
fridmani
• Territorial
• More popular variety
Aquacultured Species
• Magenta dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
porphyreus
• Similar to orchid
dottyback
Aquacultured Species
• Striped dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
sankeyi
• Tend to live in colonies;
less aggressive
Aquacultured Species
• Indigo dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
fridmani x sankeyi
• Retains mild behavior of
striped dottyback
Aquacultured Species
• Bicolor dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
paccagnellae
• Aggressive and territorial
Aquacultured Species
• Splendid dottyback
• Scientific name: M.
splendens
• May eat small
crustaceans
• Somewhat aggressive
towards other fish
Aquacultured Species
• Springeri dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
springeri
• Aggressive to
conspecifics
Aquacultured Species
• Black margin dottyback
• Scientific name: P.
tapeinosoma
• Very aggressive to
conspecifics
Prices and where to buy them
• Wild-caught very
expensive
• Price varies by species
• Most pet stores in the
U.S. or online
Reproduction, Life Cycle, and
Production Methods
• No more than one mated
pair per tank!
• Females spawn 2-4 times
per month
• Males care for eggs
Reproduction, Life Cycle, and
Production Methods
• Females deposit egg mass
in male’s nest
• Male intensively cares for
eggs
• Eggs hatch in evening of
5th day after spawning
Orchid dottyback egg
Reproduction, Life Cycle, and
Production Methods
• Larvae are completely
transparent
• Kept separate from adults
• Very active and use entire
water column
• Grow very quickly if fed
and housed correctly
Extreme closeup of a dottyback larva
Reproduction, Life Cycle, and
Production Methods
• Day 9 – slight coloration
• Day 20 – presettlement
juveniles, not larvae
• Day 25-30 – juveniles
begin to settle out
• Need hiding places to
complete metamorphosis
Juvenile dottybacks with hiding places, around
25-30 days old
Reproduction, Life Cycle, and
Production Methods
• Adult coloration develops
within 7 days
• Don’t leave hiding place
– eat whatever floats by
• Transferred to grow out
tank after metamorphosis
Juvenile dottybacks showing adult coloration
• Rapid growth
Feeds and Feeding
• Foods high in natural
pigments preferable
• Frozen plankton, brine
shrimp, mysis shrimp,
bloodworms, pellets and
flakes are all good
• Live rock helps diet!
Neon dottyback, P. aldabraensis
• Will supplement
provided feed
Water Chemistry and Environment
• Salt water REQUIRED!
• Need hiding places and
low light
• pH = 8.1-8.4
• Alkalinity = 124-214 ppm
• Temp = 22-26 ºC
Springeri dottyback, P. springeri
• Specific Gravity = 1.021.025
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Not picky eaters
• Can be very aggressive
and territorial
• Hardy
• Adults are easy to care for
• Lose coloration if not fed
properly
• Pretty!
• Not super easy to grow
Sources
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•
•
•
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http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/dottybacks/
http://www.aquacon.com/basslets_saltwaterfish.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dottyback
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcs3/
http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/dottyback
schoose-carefully.htm
• http://www.saltwaterhub.com/Dottyback.shtml
• http://breedersregistry.org/Reprints/FAMA/v19_june9
6/dotty.htm
• http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid
=3237
Questions?