springers dottyback and cherub angel

**fishyboy1** · 02-28-2013, 03:23 PM

Last week I picked up the above stated fish for my empty 20 gal. The tank is well established with about 20 lbs of good pukani lr and a crushed coral fine sand mix sb. The 2 have been getting along quite well and look to be a great combo for a small tank such as this. The dotty is quite a character and just never stops looking around and excavating his lair one pebble at a time. The cherub is what I expected and is very engaging with no aggression. I may add another fish or 2 to this tanks,something like a clown goby or 2. Definetly will get a fire shrimp and a few other ornamental cuc. The tank used to have a mantis but it died of old age and it was a shame to let an established tank go to waste.

**Cliff** · 02-28-2013, 03:49 PM

While the cherub angelfish (Centropyge argi) will only get to 3 inch maximum size, a 20 gallon is likely going to be too small for him to have the room a active fish like this will need. Most experts suggest a nothing less than a 30 gallon, but this fish dose best in a 55 gallon tank. Springeri Dottyback (Pseudochromis springerii) is a really cool little fish. I was trying to get one of them a while ago but they are hard to find locally where I live.

I would personally not suggest adding any more fish while you have the cherub angel in there. I would also keep a close eye on that fish as he will most likely outgrow you tank in a while and you will want to re-home him once/if that happens. You are also likely to see the angel becoming very aggressive towards the dottyback once he get comfortable and settled into his new home.

Just a few things to watch out for

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/mari...opyge-argi.php

**fishyboy1** · 02-28-2013, 05:28 PM

Thanks for the advice but I have experiance with cherubs and know they aren't especially aggressive. The dottback is a new fish to me and may or may not stay in the 20 as he can go in the 150 that's coming along nicely. I'm also pretty well set on adding the clown goby or 2 as I know they take up most of there space inside the rocks and aggressors seldom even know they are there. The springer and cherubs you have kept,have any of them showed these signs of aggression you speak of?

**Cliff** · 02-28-2013, 06:35 PM

Yes, I once had a cherub that I never took out of my 40 gallon QT tank as he was way too aggressive for my liking. I took him back to the store after two weeks.

I've never kept the Springeri Dottyback, but I am still hoping my SW LFS will be able to get one in for me.