Magenta Dottyback

[edit] Overview

This magenta beauty will fluoresce as it flits about its aquarium home, but it has a feisty disposition and may bully smaller, more peaceful species.

[edit] Feeding

Carnivore. Feed meaty foods, at least once per day. Its color may fade in the home aquarium, unless you provide a varied diet that includes color-enhancing pigments.

[edit] Aquarium Compatibility

This is a nervous little fish that relies on its speed and hiding places to avoid being eaten by predators. It will dash about the tank and occasionally stop to examine its world. It is sometimes confused with the Orchid Dottyback (P. fridmani), which has a distinctive black bar from its snout through its eye.

[edit] Breeding/Propagation

Demersal (on or near the bottom) spawners that tend and protect their broods.

[edit] Notes

This is a potentially aggressive fish, especially in a smaller tank. If you want to keep it with other small fishes, it will need to be in a large tank (75 gal. [285 L] or more), replete with hiding places. A well-aquascaped reef aquarium is a perfect home. Keep one per tank. It will typically ignore ornamental invertebrates, with the possible exception of tiny shrimps (e.g., anemone shrimp). If pestered by more aggressive tankmates, it may hide incessantly and not get enough to eat.

Category: Species