August 29, 2024, 8:44 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Fridman’s dwarf perch, also known colloquially as King Solomon’s dwarf perch, is a saltwater fish that is a real eye-catcher with striking coloration. It is, therefore, often kept in tropical saltwater aquariums, even though this sex-changing fish has rather special care requirements.
Origin
Fridman’s dwarf perch (Pseudochromis fridmani), often referred to colloquially as King Solomon’s dwarf perch, originally comes from the Red Sea. It is found in shallow waters around Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. However, it is also said to occur in the Western Indian Ocean.
The dwarf perch reproduces well in captivity, so they are mainly offered as captive-bred fish. You should also pay attention to this when buying, as wild-caught fish from the endangered ecosystem in the Red Sea have not only had a traumatic journey but their removal from the wild should also be questioned for ethical and sustainability reasons.
Appearance
Fridman’s dwarf perch is relatively small, usually about three inches, with females slightly smaller. The primary color of the fish ranges between purple and violet. The body is elongated with a long dorsal fin. There is typically a slightly darker stripe across the snout, which also extends over the eye.
The caudal fin of males has a sword-like part, which makes it easy to distinguish the sexes. Sometimes, males also show different, more intense shades of purple than females.
Behavior
In the wild, they live together in groups; in the aquarium, they should at least be kept as a pair. Depending on the tank’s space, they can also be kept in a group of three to five fish.
The King Solomon dwarf perch is a sex changer. They are all female from birth. If two are put together, the stronger animal becomes the male and changes its color and fin shape accordingly. The sex change can take anywhere from three weeks to 50 days. If you put two males together, the sex change takes even longer. They need 50 to 90 days for this, during which both try to assert themselves by fighting.
This is another reason Fridman’s dwarf perch needs plenty of hiding places in the tank. It defends these from other fish and should, therefore, fit in completely. Various caves up to about five inches long and one inch in diameter can solve this problem. The fish also need plenty of space to retreat when new animals are added to the group. Sometimes, they can also become quite aggressive towards new arrivals. They occupy the tank’s middle and lower water areas so they can be socialized with fish that tend to move in the upper area.
Diet
In the wild, the Fridman’s dwarf perch mainly preys on small shrimp, snout shrimp, isopods, and bristle worms. In the aquarium, it prefers live food but can also be fed a varied diet of meaty, dry, flake, or frozen food. Suspended shrimp, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, or krill are suitable for live feeding.
Freshwater aquarium These 5 ornamental fish are suitable for beginners
Keeping them in a terrarium How can you provide newts a species-appropriate home?
Sloths are not ranked number 1 The 8 slowest animals in the world
Correct keeping & care
When kept as pets, two Fridman’s dwarf perch require a tank with a capacity of at least 40 gallons. A group should be kept in a tank of 80 gallons or more. This tank should contain at least one structure consisting of many stones or an entire reef. It should have various levels and a reef edge where the microorganisms on which the perch feed are available.
The perch requires relatively high water temperatures of 75 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit, so a heating element should be attached to the tank. It is also very lively and sometimes jumps out of the water suddenly, so the tank should have a cover. Fridman’s dwarf perch requires a pH value of 8.1 to 8.4; the salinity should correspond to that of seawater. This corresponds to around 0.12 to 0.12 ounces of salt per quart of water. If kept and cared for properly, Fridman’s dwarf perch can live for five to seven years.