Neon Dottyback

Pseudochromis aldabraensis

Also known as Aldabra Dottyback, Orange Dottyback, Neon Pseudochromis

SaltwaterFish

Neon Dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis) — Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe with caution
Origin: Western Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to the Aldabra area; captive-bred stock is widely available
Family: Pseudochromidae

Overview

A bold, hardy carnivore that patrols its territory and eats small crustaceans and worms, including nuisance bristleworms. It is genuinely aggressive, especially toward smaller or newly added fish and other dottybacks, so add it late and keep only one. Reef keepers rate it caution: it will not harm corals, but larger specimens can hunt down small ornamental shrimp and other tiny crustaceans, so it is not safe in a tank built around delicate cleaner or sexy shrimp.

In the wild

Lives on rocky and rubble-strewn reef zones of the western Indian Ocean, holding a territory around a cave or crevice it defends against intruders. It stays close to the bottom and to cover, patrolling a small home range. In the tank it wants abundant live rock arranged into caves so it can claim and guard a home.

Good to know

Pseudochromis aldabraensis is a dottyback reaching about 9 cm, bright orange with electric blue lines on the head and fins. Like other members of the family it is a protogynous hermaphrodite and is bred in captivity by facilities such as ORA. Captive-bred fish are generally less aggressive than wild-caught ones, which is a common pattern across the dottybacks.

Did you know

Its taste for bristleworms makes it a useful natural check on those pests, though the same appetite is exactly why small ornamental shrimp can be at risk.