Midas blenny and Neon Dottyback

newfly · Jan 7, 2021

65g tank new tank, not wet yet. I have an existing 3" neon. Not super aggressive. Currently have 2 chromist sharing a smaller 15g. Occasionally i see some chasing, but that like once a week or two. Mostly the chromis is picking on each other.

For the new tank, i want to add some yellow. Not many yellow fish that play well with neon. I wonder if midas (can grow bigger than neon) can stand up to neon?

Other tankmates potentially is a kole, and more chromis or azure. If midas is a no go, then maybe Flame? A splash of red would be nice i think.

EvanDeVita · Jan 7, 2021

newfly said:
65g tank new tank, not wet yet. I have an existing 3" neon. Not super aggressive. Currently have 2 chromist sharing a smaller 15g. Occasionally i see some chasing, but that like once a week or two. Mostly the chromis is picking on each other.

For the new tank, i want to add some yellow. Not many yellow fish that play well with neon. I wonder if midas (can grow bigger than neon) can stand up to neon?

Other tankmates potentially is a kole, and more chromis or azure. If midas is a no go, then maybe Flame? A splash of red would be nice i think.

I don't have experiece with the Neon Dottybacks, but I do have experience with dottybacks and other aggressive fish. I make sure that the most aggressive fish in my tank is always put in last. Many aggressive fish are territorial, so adding new fish is risky.
Another thing to remember is that size doesn't matter. Let me tell you a story.
Once my LFS had a tank where they put predatory fish. Puffers, lionfish, tusks, angelfish, parrotfish, sharks, you name it they had it. Then they put a particularly mean little striped damsel into this aquarium. Have you ever seen a lionfish get bullied to death by a minnow sized fish? Well, I have ^.
(that was copy and pasted from an earlier post I had, but this is 100% true. When I go back to this LFS I'll grab a pic)
If I'm not wrong a 3" Neon dottyback is large.
There are some ways to add fish into a tank with aggressive fish:

Add fish into breeder box first and then do one of the following:
- Remove potentially aggressive fish and put into the sump (if you don't have a sump, putting this fish into the breeder box might work [you would have to observe after releasing the fish to see it worked])
- Add new fish in the middle of a (>24 hours) blackout

lmk if you have any other questions

newfly · Jan 7, 2021

Wow, that's an amazing story. I know damsel can be very mean. I kept fish for a very long time and every fish can be very different but there is some truth to the general species compatibility as well.

Thanks for the advise. I'll definitely put the neon last. I am thinking to trade the fish, but so far he have been a relatively good citizen. Not fair to punish the poor guy just be because of this species.

I'll keep him, but on the other hand i'm afraid once i put him into a larger display, with glue down rocks, it is going to be impossible to catch him.

EvanDeVita · Jan 7, 2021

newfly said:
Wow, that's an amazing story. I know damsel can be very mean. I kept fish for a very long time and every fish can be very different but there is some truth to the general species compatibility as well.

Thanks for the advise. I'll definitely put the neon last. I am thinking to trade the fish, but so far he have been a relatively good citizen. Not fair to punish the poor guy just be because of this species. I'll keep him, but on the other hand i'm afraid once i put him into a larger display, with glue down rocks, it is going to be impossible to catch him.

I've got a similar problem. I have a Naoko Wrasse (the terror of the fairy wrasses) and I added him last. I'm thinking of adding him to my upgrade, but he's probably gonna kill whatever I put in after him. Im really attached and its tough