First fish in my new tank

[Cliving1]

Hi everyone,

After having my tank setup for almost 3 months now, I put in 3 damsels over the weekend. One is an all blue one, and the other 2 have the yellow tail. I have done some reading on here and everyone says that a 100g is a minimum for them (tank is 80g DT with 20g sump). I never really liked damsels, but the lfs does not have a great selection. Its either a bunch of tangs which my tank is too small for, or fish like hawkfish or dartfish (tank has no top so no jumpers). He never has any chromis, blennies, or wrasses. Will it be difficult to introduce new fish with these 3 damsels being the first in the tank? Also, what are some fish I should look out for that would be great tankmates.

 

[Bcrowe2012]

Damsels can get pretty territorial as they grow older.
Here is a compatibility chart for what fish can be housed with what in the same tank.

http://m.liveaquaria.com/general/compatibility_chart.cfm

 

[SnoopyDaPimp]

I have two yellow tail damsels right now in my 110g. Don't know if I am the exception but the only time they got aggressive was when one of my clowns died. I had to hunt down a large platinum to replace it and everything went back to normal after a week and change. My damsels share a tank with clowns, dragon goby, scooter blenny, zebra eel and a dog face puffer with no problems. Refer to the live aquaria list as a recommendation and do some research.

 

[garyinco]

The first fish I started a tank with were two damsels in a 10 gallon. That was back in the undergravel filter days. Back in those days it was common for the LFS to give credit if you returned the fish after your tank settled down. Musta been brutal on those fish. I'm hoping when I die I don't have to approach some supreme being and find out it's a damsel or black molly I agree on the territorial part. Only thing meaner I've seen was a false percula clown. That thing viciously attacked my hand, drawing blood, every time I reached into the tank. Haven't had a clown since.

 

[sbash]

Don't know if I am the exception but the only time they got aggressive was when one of my clowns died.

Agreed, I have heard they are aggressive, but my yellow tail is less aggressive than my chromis and my clowns. Maybe they hang out in different places, so their paths do not cross (65 gallon, lol), or maybe it is like the mob boss the other fish know not to mess with...

 

[stingeragent]

Order fish online if your LFS sucks is my only oppinion.

 

[Shawn O]

Dartfish are nice fish. There are plenty of different dartfish so you could still have a decent (limited) variety. I'd go with online sales, as stingeragent mentioned.

 

[uncleL]

Peculiar Clowns and Blue Green Chromis are good starter fish. Never Damsels except in a aggressive tank.

 

[Cliving1]

Thanks everyone! I dont see any aggression they seem to stick to their own "territories" and no one gets nipped. I have an open top rimless tank so I cant do dartfish (too afraid they will jump). Yeah I guess online might be the way to go...

 

[PatW]

I think you might get by with a kole tang in that size of tank.

You could have a blenny.

There are a bunch of gobies and if you choose ones with different habits you could have a couple of those.

A dwarf angel would probably work.

There are some nice basslets and dotty backs that could work.

You can go to live aquaria. They give recommended tank sizes for fish. If worse comes to worse, you could get fish from them.