🐠 Diadem Dottyback (Pictichromis diadema)
A Bright Yellow Body Crowned With a Magenta-Purple Stripe • A Hardy Cave Dweller • A Natural Bristleworm Hunter
 
📋 The Diadem Dottyback is a striking small reef fish, with a bright yellow body capped by a bold magenta-purple stripe running from the eye across the top of the head: the "diadem," or crown, that gives the species its name.
It comes from sheltered, coral-rich reefs across the Western Pacific, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia, where it darts between crevices and overhangs hunting small worms and crustaceans. It's a useful natural hunter of bristleworms, and it's hardy and easy to care for. Every Diadem Dottyback we ship is feeding well.
It does best alongside larger, more robust tankmates such as established angelfish, surgeonfish, or wrasses, where it settles in peacefully. Keep it away from smaller, more docile fish such as damsels, gobies, anthias, and cardinalfish, since it's a confident, territorial little fish. It's reef safe toward corals, though it will take small ornamental shrimp. Feeding 2-3 small meals a day and plenty of hiding places keep it relaxed. It reaches about 6.2cm, so plan on at least 115L.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Bright Yellow With a Magenta-Purple Crown: An unmistakable pattern
🐛 A Natural Bristleworm Hunter: A useful pest predator for reef tanks
💪 Hardy and Beginner-Friendly: Easy to care for
🌿 Reef Safe Toward Corals: Will take small ornamental shrimp
🤝 Best With Robust Tankmates: Angelfish, tangs, and wrasses suit it well