Dottyback/Clown Fish Compatability

[Guest hk132]

I've got a 30 gallon marine tank with a dominant orchid dottyback who is now the sole inhabitant of the tank.  I'm interested in purchasing a pair of clown fish to add to this.

 

I read that the orchid dottybacks should be added last to a tank.  Are the clown fish a wise investment?

 

Also, what additional fish could be added to this 30 gallon tank were it to have the orchid dottyback and two clowns?

 

Thanks for any advice!

[pez]

My orchid dottyback (p. fridmani) never showed any aggressiveness to any of my other fish.  They are the most docile dottybacks available.  If it were a purple dottyback (p. porphyreus) or a royal gramma (Gramma loreto), things would be different.

 

I would think that a pair of clowns would be fine, but I have never kept them so I don't know.  I guess it depends on the type of clown fish.  Ocellaris or Percula should be fine IMO.

 

Other fish might be a gobie, green chromis, or a blenny.  If you don't have a reef tank you can go with some of the more agressive fish such as a small trigger, hogfish, etc.

 

Depending on your invert selection (if any), you can consider a hawkfish, a small wrasse, and certain angelfish.

 

-Tom

[michaelg]

It should be OK- try not to get a pair that are total babies though.  I think Tom's p. fridmani is also one of the captive raised ones from one of our old members.  Mine is also quite docile, though I don't know if this is due to their being captive raised and introduced into a community tank when real young.

[pez]

Mine was captive from ORA.

[michaelg]

Hmm- who got the 4th one?  Maybe Craig?  Anyhow, I believe all dottybacks in stores these days are captive raised, as collection of them from the red sea is prohibited- no?