DottybacksinAquaculture_AnnaHawkins

Dottybacks in Aquaculture Anna Hawkins DISL 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 Juvenile dottybacks showing adult coloration

• Rapid growth

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! Neon dottyback, P. aldabraensis

• Will supplement provided feed

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 Springeri dottyback, P. springeri

• Specific Gravity = 1.021.025

Advantages

Disadvantages

• Not picky eaters

• Can be very aggressive and territorial

• Hardy • Adults are easy to care for

• Lose coloration if not fed properly

• Pretty!

• 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/dottyback schoose-carefully.htm • http://www.saltwaterhub.com/Dottyback.shtml • http://breedersregistry.org/Reprints/FAMA/v19_june9 6/dotty.htm • http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid =3237

Questions?