damsels

[jfbhd4]

Are they as bad as I have read?
I want to get some smaller/cheaper fish so there is some more action/color in my tank. Will damsels stress or kill some of my fish?

Here is what I will have in the tank if I decide to get damsels.
2 clowns, 3 chromis, dragon goby, royal gramma, powder brown tang, foxface.

Thanks for the help

 

[Ocicat]

There are a ton of different kinds of damsels. Yellowtail damsels aren't supposed to be too bad, although I have seen them chasing each other in the LFS. A couple other not-too-mean ones (from my reading, NOT my experience) are the Talbot's and Allen's. I'd get a good book like Marine Fishes by Michael to get some ideas on the more tolerant damsels, and then ask about / research those specific species.

 

[dphins]

Why risk it? Once there in, they can be a pain getting back out!

 

[DrBDC]

I have 2 domino's but I'm keeping a close eye on them and I know they go in a fish trap faster than a 6 line!

 

[bigmayreefer]

my green chromis in my 29 is very well behaved. cant say that applies for all green chromis tho.

 

[marino420td]

Don't Do It! I agree with dphinsx2, why risk it for such a pain in the a$$ fish? I have 4 damsels that I mistakenly bought before I did my homework and they bully anything else I put in the tank.

 

[hagfish]

But, I say that if you do your homework you can find relatively peaceful damsels that are very colorful. The book, "Marine Fishes" that was mentioned above shows about 6-7 that are less aggressive.

Also, adding them in the correct order will help of course. If they are one of the last fish there will likely be no problems.

And if they have enough space they will be a little less aggressive I think. They won't claim an entire tank as their territory if it's big enough IMO.

 

[dphins]

When are we ever done buying fish?

 

[jfbhd4]

Im not going to chance it, my power brown is already crazy enough.

 

[scbadiver]

I have kept a yellow tail in every tank I've had. I'm on my second one now, The first one died after ONLY about 16 years so I replaced him with another. They have both always been model citizens and very pretty additions. Now, dominoes and black and white striped ones...a whole other nightmare. (I didn't have a fish trap back then!)

 

[DrBDC]

Yeah, I'm trying to decide if my male maroon's lower fins are from mama kicking his butt or them. I've never seen them chase anyone except chromis and not an all out chase like my kole chasing my powder brown, but they do shoot at them sometimes and stop about 6 inches away.

 

[Phyto]

Personally, I will never put another damsel in a community reef tank. There are many more interesting, peaceful fish one can aquire.