The Black Neon Dottyback is a hybrid between the Neon Dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis) and the Springer’s Dottyback (Pseudochromis springeri) and it carries traits from both. The body color of Black Neon Dottybacks range from a rust color to jet black. The gorgeous electric blue coloration is exaggerated in Black Neon Dottybacks when compared to Springer’s dottybacks. For example the electric blue color runs in a double band the entire length of the dorsal fin and into the caudal (tail) fin in the Black Neon Dottyback. In contrast the Springer’s Dottyback only has electric blue color in the face and front half of the fish.

Temperament & Captive Care

The Black Neon Dottyback can like other dottybacks be aggressive to smaller fish and we recommend you keep this fish with larger fish species. If you want to house this beauty in a smaller community tank, make sure to add it as the last fish. Captive bred Dottybacks tend to be much less aggressive than their wild collected counterpart.

Feeding

Most dottybacks love meaty food items like Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, krill, and various frozen meaty aquarium foods. However, they will also readily accept pellets and flake food. Springer’s Dottyback will feast on bristle worms in your tank if they are present and it is not uncommon to see white bristle worm spines protrude from their faces. This does not seem to bother them and the spines will quickly disappear.