Fiji Devil or Golden Belly Damsel

Scruffy7

New member
Hi All

My first post here so initially would like to say hello to all, I have followed this forum through my journey learning along the way and it has helped me no end.

To that point I have now reached a milestone I can find no answer for, so here goes.

My tank is up and cycled and near five months in, I cycled with live rock and sand and waited until parameters were all spot on before a clean up crew.

Slowly but surely I added a pair of mated clowns and then one Royal Gamma. Over time when parameters were still stable I added a flasher wrasse.

Now I only have aqua one mini reef 90, which is around 25 gallons and with advise from my LFS only one more fish to add before capacity way full, no tangs etc...

So at a different LFS they advised me on a golden belly damsel, and said it should fit in if the rest of the tank mates were established. So I bought him!

Now he has been in three days, and on the net tonight I am starting to think he is a Fiji Devil because of his nature. To explain, my Royal gamma hates him, that's hate in the strongest sense, open mouth flying around but he seems not to care. He is also digging up the sand bed at the same rate of a JCB to the point I'm worried about the foundations of the live rock. He isn't shy and will also fly at my wrasse who was king of the castle.

I cannot tell the different between the azure damselfish or the Fiji devil, but should I look to remove him or take time? Only reason I ask is I took time slow, cycled and had a happy family in there - now I have what seems to be a Tasmanian devil.

One last thing, the little bugger picked up one of my tiny sps frags tonight and moved it around 4 inches across the tank.

Don't want to panic but really looking for expert advice

Thanks!
 
THe fiji does have a variant with a yellow belly. This is dominance behavior. All the damsels really require a 100 gallon tank to settle and behave toward the neighbors, and even so, best put all fish in at once. The only damsel that might tolerate a smaller tank is the little yellowtail, not the azure; and only one of them in under a 100 gallon tank.
 
I think the yellow belly means they are male, but I'm not positive. If you want a damsel in a 25 gallon, the only ones I would consider are a yellow tail or springeri damsel.
 
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