garibaldi damselfish?

elisa20

New member
have any one try one of this guys in a reef tank?I want one but i just want to make sure how they do thanks.......
 
They are local state marine fish here in Cali, illegal for us to collect, and coldwater.
I guess there are places you can actually buy them online, but again, coldwater, and from what I've heard they are very mean.
 
They are local state marine fish here in Cali, illegal for us to collect, and coldwater.
I guess there are places you can actually buy them online, but again, coldwater, and from what I've heard they are very mean.

And get large and IMO, ugly.
 
I like them personally but they are not appropriate fish for tropical tanks. They need cooler water than most of the fish and corals we keep in the hobby.
 
They require a temperate system and get VERY large and VERY mean. They do not do well in reefs and dont last long. LFS should inform you that they wont last long at reef tamps. Even though some claim they will do fine if collected from warmer locations, they simply cant survive long term in a reef environment. Along with catalina gobies, these should not be sold/bought for reefs.
 
Well for example, our surface temps right now are about 58 degrees in water, and it gets colder fast as you go deeper.
A 360g could house a young one for a while, not sure on aggression w/ multiples in tanks.
I could think of so many better options for tank that size, and much more practical, a chiller gets expensive, especially coldwater tanks.
There are surf spots here just packed w/ them, big goldfish of the sea.
 
I saw one in a tank at a public aquarium. The tank must have be 15' X 15' X 10' and they said they could only keep one in there due to aggression. Pretty fish IMO.
 
ok but how cold the water should be? and 360g tank is big enough?

We keep a single one in a ~6000 (58o F). They're big, mean, and I still can't believe it every time I see one on a wholesale list. NOT a fish for hobbyists.
 
I have had one since September in 82* water by itself without issue. It will soon join the rest of the fish in the main tank. My tank generally runs between 78* at the coldest in the winter to 86* in the summer. No chiller, no corals, just fish and an anemone.
 
We keep a single one in a ~6000 (58o F). They're big, mean, and I still can't believe it every time I see one on a wholesale list. NOT a fish for hobbyists.

Seriously! Why no sheepshead wrasses? :D
 
Short lived, Kept between 70-74*. I tried to balance both tropical with temperate species. The one of two Garibaldi I kept only lived 5 months, the other 3 months. I absolutely love this species and will soon build my cold system to duplicate it's habitat.
 
I have kept a couple in past years in one of my reeftanks at 78 degrees. They did get mean but are beautiful as juveniles. I was able to keep alive for a year untill my tank came down with a bad case of ich.
 
When I was servicing aquariums, we had a customer who had one in a 150g for over 2 years kept at 78. If you get them small enough, they can adapt.
 
"If you get them small enough, they can adapt" - that simply isn't true. Each species of fish has a preferred temperature range, a survivable range and a lethal limit. Some fish have seasonal needs (walleye for example, need a cool period). 78 degrees is at the upper survivable range for Garibaldi - but they won't live as long at that temperature, they aren't adapting to it...
 
Garabaldis live in cold (> 65 degree) kelp forests on the opposite side of the world from the pacific. While diving, I have personally seen them fight off sea lions from their territory in the wild. They get nearly a foot long and should not be collected for the hobby at all.

IF anyone is bent on keeping one of these bad boys, i'd say minimum 500 gallons for one fish and kept at under 70 degrees. The tank should have live kelp with rocks. Kelp requires a slow, wave-like water current at all times. Several vortech mp40's set on long pulse would be ideal. If kelp sits stagnant for a period of time it dies. Heres the WWM on them...

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/garibald.htm

If anyone can fit their needs, they are an amazing looking fish with a lot of personality.
 
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