All fish / Pseudochromidae

Cherry Dottyback

Pholidochromis cerasina

Also known as cherry dottyback, cerasina dottyback, red dottyback

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This is a small, slender dottyback with deep cherry-red to magenta colouring, often with darker scale edges. It is kept for its vivid colour, hardiness and its habit of darting among rockwork in reef aquariums.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Keep singly; one per tank unless a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood, quality marine pellets and flakes

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

Breeding

Like other dottybacks, the male guards a ball of eggs inside a cave until they hatch. It is rarely bred in home aquariums and the larvae need rotifers and other tiny live foods.

Good to know

Territorial towards other dottybacks and small, similarly shaped fish, so add it last and give it plenty of rock caves. It may eat very small shrimps.