Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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San Francisco Bay Brand 

Pseudochromis

Pseudochromis springeri

Lubbock, 1975

Springer’s Dottyback, Blue-Stripe Dottyback

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indian Ocean: Red Sea.

Size: 2 inches (5 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits caves and holes in lagoon and seaward coral reefs and usually found between depths of 6 to 200 feet (2 – 60 m) where it feeds on small worms and crustaceans/zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade having a dark blue body and fins with two light blue mottled streaks of the face.

Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums having some rocky hiding places/crevices to take shelter, as this species is somewhat secretive. However, it will become bolder and develop into a fairly good tankmate, for a dottyback, with those tankmates being larger and somewhat aggressive. Will annoy smaller fishes.

As to diet, products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods should make up the majority of their diet. Therefore a meaty diet such as enriched chopped fresh fish or shrimp flesh, and/or frozen carnivore foods should be fed once daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Percoidei

    Family: Pseudochromidae

    Subfamily: Pseudochrominae

    Genus: Pseudochromis

FYI: Since they are extremely fast moving and secretive, if having to remove it from a reef aquarium with many hiding areas, it would be a major task!

Captive bred.

    Experience Level: Intermediate

    Temperament: Semi-aggressive

    Diet: Carnivore

    Coral Safe: Yes

    Fish Safe: Yes

    Invertebrate Safe: With caution

    Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

    Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

    Tankmates: Moderately aggressive

    Minimum Tank Size: 30+ gallons

    Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)

    Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

    pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Pseudochromis springeri (Springer’s Dottyback, Blue-Stripe Dottyback)
Photo © Bob Fenner
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Fishy Bizness