Ryan Photographic - Pseudochromidae - Dottybacks

Family Pseudochromidae

According to FishBase there are 98 species of dottybacks in 16 genera. The majority of information on the web is about keeping dottybacks in aquaria. The largest species reaches 50 cm but most are 10cm or smaller. In some species the sexes are different colors. Those I have photographed are typically investigating a small home range of at most a couple of meters. They will emerge from a crevice for a few seconds and then disappear into a crack only to emerge again a few secods later in a totally different location. This doesn't seem to be a response to my presence. I have observed dottybacks from a distance and their behavior remains the same. This makes them a challenge to photograph. But many of them are brightly colored and this makes the wait totally worthwhile.

Some dottybacks are mouthbrooders (that is they keep the eggs in their mouth until they hatch) but most lay eggs on the bottom where they are guarded by the male. They feed on small invertebrates and fish.

Cypho zaps dottyback

FISH 3327 Cypho zaps dottyback, Raja Ampat, West Papua

Pictichromis coralensis Bicolor dottyback

Pseudochromis diadema Purpletop dottyback

Pseudochromis flavivertex Sunrise dottyback

Pseudochromis fridmani Purple Dottyback

Pseudochromis fuscus Dusky dottyback

Pseudochromis perspicillatus Southeast Asian blackstripe dottyback

Pseudochromis porphyreus Magenta dottyback

Pseudochromis splendens Splendid dottyback

Fishes

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