Dottybacks in Aquaculture

Anna HawkinsDISL Aquaculture 2013

What are dottybacks?

• Ornamental aquarium fish

• Family Pseudochromidae▫ Genus Pseudochromis

• Found wild in coral reefs

• Aquaculture = CHEAPER

Orchid dottyback, A. fridmani

Typical behavior

• Territorial of preferred home

• Tankmates determine aggressiveness

• May eat certain tankmates

• Hermaphroditic

Aquacultured Species

• Neon dottyback

• Scientific name: P. aldabraensis

• Aggressive – eats small fish and ornamental shrimp

Aquacultured Species

• Diadema dottyback

• Scientific name: P. diadema

• Semi-aggressive

• Needs lots of hiding spots

Aquacultured Species

• Elongate dottyback

• Scientific name: P. elongatus

• Much less aggressive

• Rarer variety

Aquacultured Species

• Sunrise dottyback

• Scientific name: P. flavivertex

• Moderately aggressive and territorial

Aquacultured Species

• Orchid dottyback

• Scientific name: A. fridmani

• Territorial

• More popular variety

Aquacultured Species

• Magenta dottyback

• Scientific name: P. porphyreus

• Similar to orchid dottyback

Aquacultured Species

• Striped dottyback

• Scientific name: P. sankeyi

• Tend to live in colonies; less aggressive

Aquacultured Species

• Indigo dottyback

• Scientific name: P. fridmani x sankeyi

• Retains mild behavior of striped dottyback

Aquacultured Species

• Bicolor dottyback

• Scientific name: P. paccagnellae

• Aggressive and territorial

Aquacultured Species

• Splendid dottyback

• Scientific name: M. splendens

• May eat small crustaceans

• Somewhat aggressive towards other fish

Aquacultured Species

• Springeri dottyback

• Scientific name: P. springeri

• Aggressive to conspecifics

Aquacultured Species

• Black margin dottyback

• Scientific name: P. tapeinosoma

• Very aggressive to conspecifics

Prices and where to buy them

• Wild-caught very expensive

• Price varies by species

• Most pet stores in the U.S. or online

Reproduction, Life Cycle, and Production Methods

• No more than one mated pair per tank!

• Females spawn 2-4 times per month

• Males care for eggs

Reproduction, Life Cycle, and Production Methods

• Females deposit egg mass in male’s nest

• Male intensively cares for eggs

• Eggs hatch in evening of 5th day after spawning

Orchid dottyback egg

Reproduction, Life Cycle, and Production Methods

• Larvae are completely transparent

• Kept separate from adults

• Very active and use entire water column

• Grow very quickly if fed and housed correctly

Extreme closeup of a dottyback larva

Reproduction, Life Cycle, and Production Methods

• Day 9 – slight coloration

• Day 20 – presettlement juveniles, not larvae

• Day 25-30 – juveniles begin to settle out

• Need hiding places to complete metamorphosis

Juvenile dottybacks with hiding places, around 25-30 days old

Reproduction, Life Cycle, and Production Methods

• Adult coloration develops within 7 days

• Don’t leave hiding place – eat whatever floats by

• Transferred to grow out tank after metamorphosis

• Rapid growth

Juvenile dottybacks showing adult coloration

Feeds and Feeding

• Foods high in natural pigments preferable

• Frozen plankton, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, pellets and flakes are all good

• Live rock helps diet!

• Will supplement provided feed

Neon dottyback, P. aldabraensis

Water Chemistry and Environment• Salt water REQUIRED!

• Need hiding places and low light

• pH = 8.1-8.4

• Alkalinity = 124-214 ppm

• Temp = 22-26 ºC

• Specific Gravity = 1.02-1.025

Springeri dottyback, P. springeri

Advantages Disadvantages• Not picky eaters

• Hardy

• Adults are easy to care for

• Pretty!

• Can be very aggressive and territorial

• Lose coloration if not fed properly

• Not super easy to grow

Sources

• http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/dottybacks/• http://www.aquacon.com/basslets_saltwaterfish.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dottyback• http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcs3/• http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/

dottybackschoose-carefully.htm• http://www.saltwaterhub.com/Dottyback.shtml• http://breedersregistry.org/Reprints/FAMA/

v19_june96/dotty.htm• http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?

sid=3237

Questions?