Pseudochromis

APC · 07-27-2005, 08:44 AM

Hey All,

I am thinking about getting a little Fridmani Pseudochromis (purple in color) for my tank. They say they are reef safe, and that they do a good job of snapping up little bristle worms. I am concerned however that he may also pray on some of the more favorable items in the tank..like the feather dusters that came on the live rock. Does anyone have any experience with this fish. I am all about knocking out small bristle worms (that occasionally go after my soft coral polyps), but I don't want to knock out the things I like at the same time.

billy31422 · 07-27-2005, 09:03 AM

i have a friend who has 4 green chromis and has never had a problem with them eating or picking at anything he didnt want them to. he also has never observed them eating bristle worms.

amcarrig · 07-27-2005, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by APC

Hey All,

I am thinking about getting a little Fridmani Pseudochromis (purple in color) for my tank. They say they are reef safe, and that they do a good job of snapping up little bristle worms. I am concerned however that he may also pray on some of the more favorable items in the tank..like the feather dusters that came on the live rock. Does anyone have any experience with this fish. I am all about knocking out small bristle worms (that occasionally go after my soft coral polyps), but I don't want to knock out the things I like at the same time.

IME, most dottybacks eat decorative/cleaner shrimp and are very aggressive towards other fish. Bristle worms will only go after a coral if it is dead or dying. Fire worms, on the other hand, are coral predators. Hopefully, this isn't what you have.

Birdlady · 07-27-2005, 09:38 AM

Yeah, are you sure the worms are after you coral? Mine clean up all the crud in between the polyps, esp, on the GSP mat. I have lots of worms! LOL!

APC · 07-27-2005, 10:05 AM

I am pretty sure they are bristle worms...but little ones (about an inch long). I was doing some research on them, it I saw that the little ones will go for soft corals on occasion. However, I did also read that the larger ones do not bother corals at all and are good to have in the tank. I will look and see if I can find the link I was looking at where I got this info. If I can find it I will update the thread with the info. (I Promise to actually include the link this time too :-))

APC · 07-27-2005, 10:11 AM

Well crap! I just looked on-line, and I think I did have a fire worm!! I killed the one that I saw earlier in the week. I have not seen anymore. Anybody know anything about these guys?

Bruce · 07-27-2005, 10:16 AM

really depends imo they r good for a tank...that is unless u see them atking ur corals...then kill them lol

Birdlady · 07-27-2005, 11:10 AM

Fireworms are fairly infrequently encountered. Get a pic if you find any more so a more specific ID can be made

APC · 07-27-2005, 12:02 PM

Will do...my hope is that is was just a ornery bristle worm :-)

So is the consensus here to skip the psuedochromis?

mmakay · 07-27-2005, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy31422

i have a friend who has 4 green chromis and has never had a problem with them eating or picking at anything he didnt want them to. he also has never observed them eating bristle worms.

Chromis are the mild mannered relatives of damsels. Pseudochromis are relatives of dottybacks / basslets / assessors ... and they are mean little buggers most of the time. Very territorial and aggressive toward similar fish.