Impulsive Buy - Aussie Multicolor Dottyback Pair

[hlem]

So... I had the chance to buy a pair of the super rare Australian Multicolor Dottyback... so I did... but after reading up on them. I may not be able to keep them...

 

current, in my 200 gallon, there are a few wrasses, a blackcap basslet, japanese basslet, zebra angel male, and pair of hippo tangs, i plan on adding a few more tangs and dwarft angels. But from my reading, the Aussie Multicolor should not be kept with peaceful-ish fish....they should only be kept with other aggressive fish.

 

What do you all think? good idea or bad idea to add them to my DT? they are in QT right now, eats everything from day 1

 

quick video of the pair.

[sen5241b]

Bad idea. I'll be over to pick them up later. (Seriously, are the other fish in the 200 larger than the Australian Multicolor Dottybacks? If aggressive fish are in a tank with larger peaceful fish it can work out okay sometimes.)

 

If it doesn't work out, getting those two out of the 200 could be a pain.

Edited June 20, 2016 by sen5241b

[hlem]

Bad idea. I'll be over to pick them up later. (Seriously, are the other fish in the 200 larger than the Australian Multicolor Dottybacks? If aggressive fish are in a tank with larger peaceful fish it can work out okay sometimes.)

 

If it doesn't work out, getting those two out of the 200 could be a pain.

 

the wrasses are are about 2", the basslets are about 2-3", the tangs and angel are ~4".

 

these dottybacks are about 2-3"

[madweazl]

I had a arabian psuedo that was straight up the spawn of Satan. Size made no difference, he was a mean little son of a gun. If they're any kind of mean like he was, I wouldnt risk it LOL. 

[hlem]

These are supposed to be the meanest of the mean... Of the dottybacks... :/

[zygote2k]

I've had a pair long time ago and they were super territorial until the male jumped out.  The female hid after that.

I currently work on a tank with a male and it's one of those lucky things like planetary alignments when it comes out of hiding and reveals itself for 1 second, then back into the hole.

 

I have a few 500g tanks I could place them in....

[sen5241b]

I had the "bi-color dottyback" some years ago and he killed my shrimp. Getting him out of the tank was insane! He would not get in the 1-liter coke bottle trap so I made 5 of them, baited them with live brine shrimp and filled my 29 with the traps. He swam into one. I reached in to grab the trap and he escaped! So I break down the entire freakin tank to get the dottyback out. Took all rock out --everything. The water gets clouded and I can't see anything. When the water clears he is not in the tank --no where! He hid in a big conch shell that I took out.

 

Don't chance them in your 200. Can you set up another tank?

[hlem]

Oh my... Glad I kept them in qt

 

I do have a frag tank that current have a small yellow tang and a pair of clowns... I don't plan on putting anything else in there, but it's a rimless open top tank. Afraid they might carpet surf...

[madweazl]

I haven't had any dottybacks that were carpet surfers (mine have always stayed low in the tank and close to the rock structure) over the years and generally don't see it happen at all unless there is additional stress on the inhabitants.