Orchid dottyback
Pseudochromis fridmani
Also known as Fridmani Dottyback, Fridmani Pseudochromis, Orchid Pseudochromis
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 2.8 in
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal
- 110 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Cave spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Pseudochromidae
- Origin
- Red Sea, endemic; nearly all aquarium stock is now captive bred
Overview
The orchid dottyback is a hardy, docile reef fish for a tank with plenty of caves. It is a good choice for a beginner.
Did you know
Captive-bred orchid dottybacks tend to be noticeably calmer than wild fish. Their reliable aquaculture makes this one of the marine hobby's clearest conservation success stories.
Caring for the orchid dottyback
Give the orchid dottyback a tank of at least 29 gal (110 L), with live rock full of caves and overhangs. Make sure it has a cave of its own to call home. Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4.
It is a hardy carnivore that darts between caves, picking off small crustaceans and zooplankton. Feed a varied meaty diet, and it will take most prepared foods easily.
The orchid dottyback is the most docile of the dottybacks, but it is still somewhat territorial. Watch it around very small or shy fish. It is reef safe and leaves corals and ornamental invertebrates alone. It even helps by eating nuisance bristleworms.
Orchid dottybacks spawn readily in captivity, and the male guards balls of eggs in a crevice. The main hurdle is filial cannibalism. Keeping rearing temperatures around 25°C reduces it. Breeding is rated medium overall.
Good to know
Pseudochromis fridmani is a small, uniformly purple dottyback. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, and one of the marine ornamentals routinely produced by aquaculture. Most fish sold today are captive bred by facilities like ORA. It also goes by the fridmani dottyback and the orchid pseudochromis.
In the wild
The orchid dottyback is endemic to the Red Sea, where it lives on reef faces and in cave systems. It hovers just off vertical rock and slips back into crevices when startled. It orients to the rock rather than open water and rarely ranges far from shelter.
Common questions
What size tank does an orchid dottyback need?
An orchid dottyback needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does an orchid dottyback need?
An orchid dottyback is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does an orchid dottyback eat?
An orchid dottyback is a carnivore that picks off small crustaceans and zooplankton. Feed it a varied meaty diet, and it will take most prepared foods easily.
How big does an orchid dottyback get?
An adult orchid dottyback reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).
How does an orchid dottyback breed?
Orchid dottybacks spawn readily in captivity, with the male guarding balls of eggs in a crevice. Filial cannibalism is the main hurdle, and rearing temperatures around 25°C reduce it.
Related species
2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Diadem dottyback
Pseudochromis diadema
2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Indigo dottyback
Pseudochromis hybrid
3 in (7.5 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Sankey's dottyback
Pseudochromis sankeyi
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Sunrise dottyback
Pseudochromis flavivertex
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Springer's dottyback
Pseudochromis springeri
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Neon dottyback
Pseudochromis aldabraensis
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)