Dottybacks · Pseudochromidae

Checkered Dottyback

Cypho zaps

Female checkered dottyback, purplish gray head grading into brown-red rear body, blue-edged scales giving a delicate checker pattern, orange cheek bar bordered blue, clear lavender pink fins. A rarely documented aquarium-trade entry suited to experienced keepers. A colorful cave-dwelling carnivore whose territorial behavior needs careful planning.

Care levelExpert

Limited captive documentation and uncommon availability call for experienced observation, feeding confirmation and a contingency enclosure.

Recommendation

Would you recommend this fish for a suitable saltwater aquarium?

30+ galRecommended tank

3 inchesAdult size

Aggressive / territorialTemperament

Generally compatibleCoral safety

+ Why you’ll love them

Distinctive Checkered appearance.
Rockwork and sheltered crevices provide natural cover.
Suitable marine meaty foods can support a varied captive diet.

! Things to consider

Territorial behavior can put timid and similar-looking fish at risk.
Small crustaceans may be eaten; ornamental shrimp require caution.
Captive care evidence and availability are limited; confirm feeding and origin before buying.

Tank and habitat

Recommended volume: 30 US gallons or larger; allow for stocking and layout.
Full-grown size: 3 inches (maximum adult size)
Tank footprint and swimming space: Use a tank with substantial horizontal rockwork, multiple shaded caves and broken sight lines. Distribute shelters rather than creating one contested cave. Group stocking may need much more room than the individual reference.
Tank maturity: Use a fully cycled, stable marine aquarium with established shelter and filtration. No dependable species-specific month threshold is established here; age alone does not prove readiness. Suggested tank age is a planning guide, not proof of readiness. Complete cycling, stable water and the right food supply are essential.
Habitat and equipment: Secure porous rockwork, shaded crevices, unobstructed feeding access and suitable flow. Cover escape openings and protect intakes. Provide quiet acclimation and watch that the fish actually emerges to eat.

Care and compatibility

Temperament: Aggressive / territorial
Why this care level: Limited captive documentation and uncommon availability call for experienced observation, feeding confirmation and a contingency enclosure.
Suitable tank mates and conflicts: Aggressive / territorial: small or timid gobies, firefish, basslets and other dottybacks are poor choices. Use larger, robust tank mates and separate territories; have a separation plan.
Alone, pair or group: One individual is the simpler plan. Do not assume a random pair, a large group or different dottyback species will coexist. Specialist breeding arrangements do not establish safety for arbitrary adults. Use a confirmed pair only with suitable expert guidance and separate if necessary.

Corals and invertebrates

Coral safety: Generally compatible
Generally compatible with coral tissue. Coral safety does not mean compatibility with all fish or invertebrates; monitor the individual.
Shrimp safety: With caution
Small shrimp and other crustaceans may be eaten. Adult ornamental shrimp still require caution, especially when molting. Do not rely on this fish for guaranteed pest control.
Snail safety: Generally compatible
Established shelled aquarium snails are generally compatible; tiny invertebrates and larvae may be eaten.
Clam safety: With caution
Use caution: supplier guidance for Cypho describes benthic-invertebrate predation. Watch clam mantles and remove the fish if persistent picking occurs.

Food and feeding

Diet: Carnivore; varied marine meaty foods
Feeding plan: Offer appropriately sized, varied marine meaty meals in small portions multiple times daily. Make sure food reaches the rockwork without leaving excessive waste. Confirm actual intake and body condition.
Prepared or live food: Mysis, enriched brine shrimp and finely chopped suitable marine seafood; quality carnivore pellets or flakes if the individual accepts them. Obtain the seller’s established feeding routine.

Water conditions

Temperature: 72–78 °F (22–26 °C). This is a general tropical dottyback aquarium reference, not a measured species-specific tolerance limit. Maintain stability and consider every inhabitant.
Specific gravity: Specific gravity 1.020–1.025 is the tropical fish-care reference used here. Also meet the needs of corals and other invertebrates; avoid abrupt changes.
pH: pH 8.1–8.4. Keep conditions stable and monitor alkalinity rather than making abrupt corrections.

Long-term care

Lifespan: The sources used here do not establish a dependable typical captive lifespan for this entry. Plan for long-term care rather than an invented numerical average.
Growth and future planning: FishBase reports 5.1 cm standard length, excluding the tail. The 3-inch whole-fish planning value is conservative, not a conversion or verified adult maximum. The displayed size is a planning value, not a claim of a measured hybrid or species maximum.

Before you buy

Is this fish right for your tank?: 30 US gallons is an editorial individual planning reference; a validated species-specific minimum is not established in the cited material. Aggressive / territorial: small or timid gobies, firefish, basslets and other dottybacks are poor choices. Use larger, robust tank mates and separate territories; have a separation plan. The numerical planning values are not a guarantee of suitability for this rarely documented fish.
Buying checklist: Confirm Cypho zaps, observe feeding, inspect fins and breathing, and obtain origin and feeding details. Checkered Dottyback is listed as Cypho zaps. Sex and age can affect the markings shown; the illustration represents one appearance. Plan quarantine before introduction.

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