Damsel fish

[CrayolaViolence]

There are several species that I really love the look of but have heard horrible things about this fish becoming extremely aggressive as an adult, harassing and killing other fish. Which is odd cause the chromis is in the same species just a different genus and most people seem to have little to no issues with them.

Does anyone out there have experience with reef safe damsel fish? I particularly like the velvet, and the two spot (black with white dots).

 

[Dkuhlmann]

There are a few not so aggressive damsels and my favorite one is the Starcki. The Starcki is the only one I'd get with having a mixed FOWLR or Reef tank. Do a Google image search for them and you'll see how beautiful they are.

From what I've heard the black/white dots (Domino) is one of the meaner ones

If I were to do a tank with Damsels I'd get a tank over 100 gals and have nothing but damsels in it. Just my opinion on them.

 

[johnike]

Springeri's are very pretty, stay small, and aren't mean.
Yellowtails are ok as well IMO.

 

[Sk8r]

Damsels do not like chromis, and particularly dascyllus hate them. I run a damsel tank, with the most aggressive types and less aggressive mixed. They're perfectly well behaved with most other fish species GIVEN ENOUGH ROOM. My tank is a 105, and I don't have aggression problems, but they can try to drive off newcomers, so that problem has to be managed---and can be, if you're careful. My largest seems maxed in size at 4.5 inches, though I swear I have seen one of the type in the Seattle aquarium that is closer to 6. The larger ones are 4-5" (except the garabaldi, which is too big for most tanks) and the smaller stay around 3". The blue velvet (neoglyptidon is the species, I think) is extremely aggressive: I'd recommend 100 gallons of living space. The one-spots are dominos (dascyllus) and again, 4-5". They're ok together. They will occasionally bully other damsels in a 100 but will not harm them. In less room than that, they'll likely take out the competition.

Managing damsels is mostly a function of tank size and rockwork structure: plenty of pass-throughs and rock spires and caves, but most of all---room. They tend to ignore other species of fish: chromis is the one they'll actively go after.

 

[crocogator106]

I've only got 2 fish right now and one of them is a blue damsel, the other is an ocellaris clown (which I understand is technically a damsel). I have not had any problems with the blue but it is still just a juvenile. I will be adding only fish with the same semi-aggressive temperament so I hope I don't have any problems.

 

[MuShu]

I had three blue damsels. Within a week, I was down to one. We assumed that it was an infection, so we got two more. The one killed one of the replacements immediately, then went after the other. The aggressor went back to the store.

 

[Sk8r]

'blue' is kind of broad. I can think of 3 or 4 offhand. The first 3 may have been in too small a tank (you don't say)---and you got two more. I'd say since you did observe aggression as a cause there are two possibilities: first that the tank is too small, or that you didn't acclimate them to each other, ie, there are some introduction protocols that get new fish in without a problem, but even if the tank is adequate in size, if the first fish is in possession, his first reaction is to drive off the intruders into his territory. Screening off a corner so that the new fish have a retreat he may be too large to reach is one way, or just using solid plexi drilled with holes lets them get used to each other without getting at each other.

 

[McPuff]

Talbot's damsels are small, pretty, and relatively docile. They may do a little digging in the sand though. Mine has given me zero problems. I also have a chromis and they do not interact at all.

 

[Sk8r]

LOL, re the sand. My large domino (4.5") gets under the rockwork and gets her tail into action---sandstorm until she's satisfied. Forget having a sandsifter. I have no worries that there's anything nasty down there.

 

[BigEZ77]

If you do get one, would be a good idea to add it last if you can.

 

[MuShu]

'blue' is kind of broad. I can think of 3 or 4 offhand. The first 3 may have been in too small a tank (you don't say)---and you got two more. I'd say since you did observe aggression as a cause there are two possibilities: first that the tank is too small, or that you didn't acclimate them to each other, ie, there are some introduction protocols that get new fish in without a problem, but even if the tank is adequate in size, if the first fish is in possession, his first reaction is to drive off the intruders into his territory. Screening off a corner so that the new fish have a retreat he may be too large to reach is one way, or just using solid plexi drilled with holes lets them get used to each other without getting at each other.

The have the single spot on the back. All three were purchased at the same time from the same LFS. I have a 55 gallon with lots of caves in my rock work. I have 15ish saltwater molly fry for now (all 1-1.5 inches- born between January and February. They came from my freshwater tank, and the LFS converted them to saltwater. They are going back next time I go to the LFS though.)

 

[Sk8r]

In a 55 one damsel about does it. Even chromis are best as singles. I used to run a 54, and nothing can prevent warfare in that size category. They just can't ever get out of each other's way.

 

[MuShu]

In a 55 one damsel about does it. Even chromis are best as singles. I used to run a 54, and nothing can prevent warfare in that size category. They just can't ever get out of each other's way.

Yeah, I have decided that one is good. I had no idea just how aggressive they are. So far, the one I have is behaving. I have since added two clowns. Stumpy, the molly whose tail was almost completely bitten off is starting to regrow a tail.