8 gallon

[rudy]

I have a little nano going in my home office. I was originally home to my ciliata mantis however he has moved on to my 14 gallon at work.

My wife wants a colorful little fish in there with the corals so I put "a pair" of orchid dotty backs in there. Long story short both went in together, one didn't make it an hour with the other.

I am looking for another one or two little fish I can keep with the dotty back and the corals. Not expecting miracles as the tank is small, but was hoping there would be something that fits the bill.

Thanks in advance

[Beverly]

From what I've read, dotty backs are very aggresive. You may not be able to add another fish to the tank now that you've got a dotty back in there. However, they are very pretty fish. Maybe add a cleaner shrimp. They're colourful and interesting to watch :)

[rudy]

Well, got the aggression figured out!
I was looking on the net and identified it as a magenta, not orchid.
(Pseudochromis porphyreus)

I guess he will be living solitary...unless shrimp are o.k. with them?

[Beverly]

I haven't actually had a dotty back, so I'm not 100% sure a shrimp would be okay with one. However, I don't think dotty backs eat shrimp. I hope someone with experience in this area will speak up with the right answer :)

[christyf5]

Likely he will eat the shrimp, or just pick its legs off :razz: If you do try a shrimp make sure its a big one.

With the tank being so small, likely he'll be living on his own from now on. Most other small fishes for a nano are too docile to put in with a dottyback.

[Tostito]

I had a shrimp and a purpledotty back in my 6 gallon nano. The dottyback bullied my shrimp, who had been living in the tank much longer, and I eventually riped apart the tank to get the dottyback out.