Anyone keep Damsels?

Huh I figured with a damsel species tank you'd have more fights over territory.. but heck what do I know?? LOL!
Yeah my LFS keeps one tomatoe per damsel tank.. Not only does it look very striking but it keeps the status quo for everyone......

I have always like damsels, I think they're beautifull... Just wish they weren't such butt heads!
 
I had a 4-stripe damsel in with my firefish for a while... the damsel was fine for a while but when my firefish started hiding I snooped around until I saw that each time one of them would come out of the rockwork the damsel would attack.. I finally got the damsel out but the firefish still hide in the rockwork most of the day and it's been like 3 weeks since I caught the bugger... This damsel has the most active personality also, I named him Hammy after the squirl on "Over the Hedge" :P I swear it was a perfect fit for him.. he would be calm one second and the next all over the place.. I always enjoyed watching him but now he's in the QT b/c I haven't found anyone to take him yet :(

IMO save the little bit of money..
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11790493#post11790493 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I was wrong I think Frank basically agrees also: they would be great in their own tank among themselves.

Frank you just gave me a great idea for a spare tank--LOL. I was going to collect butterfly fish but damels are pretty and way less expensive.

and the tomato clown---that' about the only fish I know that can go up against a damsel and take it out.:smokin:
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Glad I could help you!

I've thought, thought and thought about what in the hell I'm going to keep in my 36g corner tank. I have always loved damsels. I think their color is beautiful. I think it's my plan. I'm going to buy one of the badest and prettiest tomato clowns I can find of good size. Then I'll throw a yellow tail, blue reef, domino and zebra damsel or whatever else I can find. I know this, nothing is going to take out my tomato. So if a $5 damsel bites the dust, sorry.

Like I said, in the end if it doesn't work out.... I lose $15.

If you get yours set up before mine, let me know how it goes.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11791536#post11791536 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FranktheTankTx
Glad I could help you!

I've thought, thought and thought about what in the hell I'm going to keep in my 36g corner tank. I have always loved damsels. I think their color is beautiful. I think it's my plan. I'm going to buy one of the badest and prettiest tomato clowns I can find of good size. Then I'll throw a yellow tail, blue reef, domino and zebra damsel or whatever else I can find. I know this, nothing is going to take out my tomato. So if a $5 damsel bites the dust, sorry.

Like I said, in the end if it doesn't work out.... I lose $15.

If you get yours set up before mine, let me know how it goes.
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Frank if I but the tomato clown in the take care of the damsel what's the risk to the other fish
blue, salfin and yellow tang
three anthias
three chromies
a coral beauty
two gobies
4 shrimp and a brittle star, three urchins

and of course the main reason for taking out the damsel is to allow the percs back in the tank--so would a tomato get along with percs
 
I would hate to comment on the tangs, salfin and others you listed. I don't know for sure. I've owned a tomato with gobies, and psuedos with no problems. I take that back, the psuedo and tomato fought like crazy for 30 minutes... they came to a quick understanding that the tomato rules the reef and psuedo stays out of the way.

As for the perc... once a tomato owner, never another clown owner. It would have to be a very big tank to add another clown in. I mean, very big.
 
thanks again--I'll just have to vacuum that damsel out--that's the only thing left I haven't tried--I read about it on another thread--I guy used a small shop vac and caught it. LOL

If it was up to me I would leave it in there cause there is nothing in there that it bothers
but to the wife and grandkids--they want their two Nemos back in there
such loyalty we show our partners for them accepting at face when we tell them everything we buy just costs 20 dollars LOL
 
Hmmmm... I have been told that if you either get them at the same time and put them in the tank together or get one significantly smaller than the one you have, you can have two at the same time... Though there is a risk that you run of one killing the other and so forth...... Sk8tr had some really good points on this topic.....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11791758#post11791758 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
thanks again--I'll just have to vacuum that damsel out--that's the only thing left I haven't tried--I read about it on another thread--I guy used a small shop vac and caught it. LOL

If it was up to me I would leave it in there cause there is nothing in there that it bothers
but to the wife and grandkids--they want their two Nemos back in there
such loyalty we show our partners for them accepting at face when we tell them everything we buy just costs 20 dollars LOL
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You could try a trap.. My husband tapedone together to catch a VERY wiley pseudochromis.. It took 2 days and a lot of vigilance on his part but he caught the fish!
 
Capn,
I can comment a little about the tomato as I have one now. She's about 5" and rules the reef with alot of attitude. We added a yellow tang a couple of months ago and they get along just fine. If the tomato tries to boss the tang around, the tang just shows his spikes and no more problem. They actually even hang out in the cave together.
Eric
 
Damsels get a VERY bad rap, and while it's often justified, there are exceptions. If you keep large and/or aggressive fish, damsels can make wonderful tankmates -- they're tough, fast, and don't take any crap from bullies. My Lamarck's angel is a big girl now, creeping up on 5", and gets bossier by the day. I have a 1.5" Talbot's damsel (full grown -- these guys are tiny) that isn't at all bothered by a speeding bullet 10x her size heading straight at her; she can turn the angel just by looking at her. She never bites, but she knows how to stand up for herself. Talbot's are one of the smallest damsel species, and possibly the most passive. On top of that, they're very pretty (lavender with yellow heads).
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11792448#post11792448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Damsels get a VERY bad rap, and while it's often justified, there are exceptions. If you keep large and/or aggressive fish, damsels can make wonderful tankmates -- they're tough, fast, and don't take any crap from bullies. My Lamarck's angel is a big girl now, creeping up on 5", and gets bossier by the day. I have a 1.5" Talbot's damsel (full grown -- these guys are tiny) that isn't at all bothered by a speeding bullet 10x her size heading straight at her; she can turn the angel just by looking at her. She never bites, but she knows how to stand up for herself. Talbot's are one of the smallest damsel species, and possibly the most passive. On top of that, they're very pretty (lavender with yellow heads).
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I'll trade you a zebra stripe for a talbot and throw in a 5 inch clarkie clown to boot---but you will have to come and catch the damsel;)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11791784#post11791784 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Larah
You could try a trap.. My husband tapedone together to catch a VERY wiley pseudochromis.. It took 2 days and a lot of vigilance on his part but he caught the fish!
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Yeah I know he did--does he do tank er house calls.;)

actually I was thinking of trying a trap again and baiting it with the perc which the damsel insists on harassing to death as soon as I put it back in the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11792907#post11792907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I'll trade you a zebra stripe for a talbot and throw in a 5 inch clarkie clown to boot---but you will have to come and catch the damsel;)
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Ha! Thanks, but I'll keep my little Princess. I had a humbug (fourstripe) damsel, he was a BEAST. I've got a lone ocellaris clown that's most certainly turned into a female by now, so no large clown tankmates for her. You're out of luck!

Seriously though, get a fish trap and take your beasties back to the LFS -- troublemakers or not, they'll take them, and give you credit. Then you can get yourself a couple fish with slightly smaller teeth :D
 
I'll state again I have 2 clowns and 3 damsels and have no issues.....Let the Damsel stay........Let The Brother Stay!!! :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11794360#post11794360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by epstein
I'll state again I have 2 clowns and 3 damsels and have no issues.....Let the Damsel stay........Let The Brother Stay!!! :)
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it must be the zebra striped--honestly I have tried to put the clown fish back in the main tank---out comes the damsel fish and it is recentless. three times over night the clown has ended up in the overflow and has to make the magic carpet ride down into the sump and my waiting net below.
After the last time it had alot of chewed up fins so I thought I am not going to try a fourth

---and it is just a clown fish--the damsel leaves everthing else alone. I just added a blenie and a goby --no problems. when I added 3 anthias no problems--same with three chromies.
 
Damsels will pick a territory and defend it. Very few people who have a 500g tank will devote it to damsels and fish on that scale, but it makes a nice show when it's done. They're among the most colorful, healthy and active of reef fishes, but they are strong swimmers and want their room. Mostly they dive and dart and defend, and as long as they have plenty of room, they're cool. I had a blue velvet that got to 4 inches, and fat as a pig. That's one of the onerier ones. Notorious. The sergeant majors [striped] are as notorious. The plain blues and yellowtails tend to be milder and take their orders from the blue velvets. The domino [white spot] is another 'boss' fish. The chromis [a damsel] will reduce their own numbers until they like the population density. I kept 5 in that mix.
I kept a damsel tank successfully mixed with clowns [who are a damsel], chromis [damsels], a yellow dottyback [too mean for the tank: he had to go], a royal gramma, a scooter blenny, a mandarin, and lots and lots of rock, a 50 g sump/fuge, and 100g tank.
 
Hey Sk8R Domino's are tough as well? Would it help if the Domio is smaller and the last of the Damsels introduced?
 
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