Sphyrna_gal
Community Member
We've wanted an orchid dottyback, love their coloration and their lively, sassy faces/personalities- finally found one at our LFS so brought it home to our tank about a week ago. It hid in the rocks for the first couple of days so much we named it Carmen (as in where in the world is Carmen San Diego) but finally started to venture out and eat..that's when we noticed something interesting. Tried to find if anyone else had this exp. with their Orchid Dottyback however for all the things I have read about them I have never imagined one like ours... who burrows like a goby?!
IDK, maybe it watched our yellow watchman goby from its original hiding place and got inspired LOL but just thought it was interesting to post on here for anyone else that didn't know orchid dottybacks burrow. In all the things I've read in books or online about them they seem more a mid water cruiser that hangs out within the rocks yet that isn't the case here. I think other dottybacks get the attention, yet again I've not come across any materials that mentioned them burrowing under/around rocks.
It's funny because when we were setting it all up we made sure to have lots of rock work with places to hide, several overhangs and caves to pick from.. but of course our "mid water/rock cave dwelling" orchid decided it would rather dig a pit and move a bunch of sand by the mouthful around the burrow (much to my annoyance as it almost covered some rainbow acans- moved them so heartbreak averted). Carmen will come out and get food, will cruise around the tank but doesn't stay away for too long from that spot.
I've seen a lot of comments on here say dottybacks are bullies, even the guy at the LFS said they were "jerks" but so far it's only half heartedly chased off the other fish when they get too close to its burrow. No relentless chasing like others may suggest, I have read that orchids are actually the most low key of the dottybacks? But again that's all with a grain of salt, fish behavior will always depend on each individual fish and their environment. At any rate, we love our orchid dotty and are just hoping it will keep those sandy mouthfuls off our corals from now on LOL.
IDK, maybe it watched our yellow watchman goby from its original hiding place and got inspired LOL but just thought it was interesting to post on here for anyone else that didn't know orchid dottybacks burrow. In all the things I've read in books or online about them they seem more a mid water cruiser that hangs out within the rocks yet that isn't the case here. I think other dottybacks get the attention, yet again I've not come across any materials that mentioned them burrowing under/around rocks.
It's funny because when we were setting it all up we made sure to have lots of rock work with places to hide, several overhangs and caves to pick from.. but of course our "mid water/rock cave dwelling" orchid decided it would rather dig a pit and move a bunch of sand by the mouthful around the burrow (much to my annoyance as it almost covered some rainbow acans- moved them so heartbreak averted). Carmen will come out and get food, will cruise around the tank but doesn't stay away for too long from that spot.
I've seen a lot of comments on here say dottybacks are bullies, even the guy at the LFS said they were "jerks" but so far it's only half heartedly chased off the other fish when they get too close to its burrow. No relentless chasing like others may suggest, I have read that orchids are actually the most low key of the dottybacks? But again that's all with a grain of salt, fish behavior will always depend on each individual fish and their environment. At any rate, we love our orchid dotty and are just hoping it will keep those sandy mouthfuls off our corals from now on LOL.
