Help! Aggressive Azure Damsel

[Wildorca]

Hi everyone!!
This is my first time posting. I am very new to the hobby. This is actually my first fish tank ever. My husband had a marine tank set up many years ago and lost it during a week long power outage following a hurricane.
I currently have a 26 gallon bow front with 25 lbs live rock, live sand and crushed coral gravel, a few snails, 2 hermits, 2 emerald crabs, and 1 hitchhiker mantis shrimp. We are currently trying to get rid of the mantis. I suspect he killed my 3rd emerald crab. He's been missing for 2 weeks.
We have an ocellaris clown fish, 6 line wrasse, and just added an azure damsel fish. I had an aurora goby, but he went carpet surfing last week.
Now to get to the point... I woke up this morning to find my clownfish with damage to his front dorsal fin. The azure damsel looks like he has some scales missing.
I have read on here about 6 lines being little butt heads, but honestly he's never shown any aggression towards my clownfish or my goby. He chased the damsel around when we first got him, but nothing since then.
I really could use some advice here. I don't want to see my clownfish injured!!
Thanks!!!

 

[Capt.Nemo]

I hear all Damsels are real DI........well, jerks to say the least

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[Bl@ckbird]

Yep. Damsels are little devils for sure. I'd get him out before he stresses your other fish to death. I had a yellow tail kill 2 clowns before.


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[MuShu]

Take the damsel back to the store. Get something less aggressive, like a bull shark. (Kidding on that last part.)

 

[Wildorca]

A Bull Shark?!? Lol!!!

 

[Wildorca]

After I remover my damsel, should I get another clownfish? Will it pair up with my current clownfish?

 

[GimpyFin]

I'd try to monitor it a little more to see who is being the bully. Both damsels and 6 lines can be turds, so it could be either one. If it were me, I'd steer away from both of those fish, especially in a smaller tank. Their temperament just makes it difficult to keep things peaceful. Maybe a royal gramma?

 

[gone fishin]

After I remover my damsel, should I get another clownfish? Will it pair up with my current clownfish?

If you get another clown make sure it is smaller than the one you have. This will help to set up the dominance of the larger one. There will most likely be some posturing to set up the pecking order. Also, be aware that once a pair of clowns become sexually mature they will be more aggressive in defending their territory.

Both the sixline and the damsel can be on the aggressive side. This becomes more pronounced when in smaller tanks as each fish tries to exert itself as the top fish.

If you think you would like a pair of clowns then I would think about returning both the sixline and the damsel. With smaller tanks it becomes more prudent to try and match personalities of fish to create as peaceful of an environment as possible. The more aggressive a fish is the more it restricts future additions. Good luck just my 2 cents.

 

[Sk8r]

Clownfish are damsels, but calmer in small spaces. Regular damsels freak out and go nuts when more than one in a 50 gallon. In a 100 gallon, several may be perfectly fine.

 

[Wildorca]

Well, I had no idea 6 lines could be aggressive. They never said anything about it at the LFS. I knew damsels could be, but was told azures are pretty peaceful and would do fine with my current tank.
My 6 line has never shown any aggression towards anything besides the damsel. I have seen the damsel go after my clownfish several times.
I guess this is just a big learning curve. :-/

 

[Mark9]

Just remove the damsel, never buy another one.
They are jerks and stress out other fish.
Buy a 2nd smaller clown to pair up with your first.

 

[Wildorca]

My clownfish is still really small, just a juvenile. I can get a different fish if you guys don't think he will pair well with another clown.
I would really like about 4 fish in my tank. I want to get another pink bar gobie to replace the one that went carpet surfing. And I've thought about pairing it with a pistol shrimp since I've read they have a really neat relationship. That is of course AFTER we get the mantis shrimp out.
Thank you all for your help and advice. It's greatly appreciated!!!

 

[ratm909]

I was going to remove one of my azures, had a chance one night (floating around sleeping) but I decided to give it more time.

Glad I did, the lawmore blenny gave him a few "bully beatdowns" and he seems to be behaving now. He still goes for my fingers when I'm working in the tank :/



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[Psychomantix]

Your whole tanks seems to be full of aggressive and territorial critters. Hermits will kill each other and snails, emerald crabs are opportunistic and can even kill small fish, mantis is just a straight up killer of all inverts, clowns will become territorial when matured, damsels are jackasses, as are 6-lines.
I would just leave everything the way it is and enjoy the bloodbath.

 

[Wildorca]

I honestly wasn't intending on having a lot of aggressive creatures in my head tank!! I am really new at this and trusted the advice given to me by the owner of the LFS.
I knew most damsels are aggressive, but was assured the azures were really peaceful. No clue about the 6 line wrasse. I was told he would be really great in my tank.
My emerald crabs and hermits were hitchhikers, along with the mantis shrimp. We are trying to catch the mantis shrimp right now.
I guess it will be a lesson learned the hard way. :-(

 

[Sk8r]

Aggression is directly related to tank size. When you do get the tank settled, your best bets will be the small highfin gobies, maybe a tailspot blenny, micro-hermits, especially scarlets, and maybe (if you have sand) a yellowhead jawfish, which is a lot of fun. (they pop out of a hole like a jack in the box.) This would be a peaceful crew. You can also get corals---don't know what your lights are like, but if they're at least T5, you'd do great with mushrooms and buttons, kenya tree, etc. They don't take calcium supplement, just watch your alkalinity and keep it at 8.3, and you're good.

 

[Wildorca]

Thank you Sk8r! We are wanting to get a larger tank later on. I'll definitely be doing more research before getting fish for that one.
I didn't find this forum until after we bought our tank, set it up, and added our fish. I started researching when we discovered our hitchhiker mantis shrimp.
I'm so excited and I'm trying to learn as much as possible!
My husband never had corals before, so that will be something new for us both to learn.

 

[gone fishin]

Thank you Sk8r! We are wanting to get a larger tank later on. I'll definitely be doing more research before getting fish for that one.
I didn't find this forum until after we bought our tank, set it up, and added our fish. I started researching when we discovered our hitchhiker mantis shrimp.
I'm so excited and I'm trying to learn as much as possible!
My husband never had corals before, so that will be something new for us both to learn.

No worries. Many many folks find themselves in your situation, myself included, when starting out. The key to our mistakes is to learn from them and you are.

This can be an incredibly rewarding and relaxing hobby. I think a lot of folks get into letting their tanks run them not the other way around. Just do your research and you and your husband will spend many relaxing hours watching your tank grow and mature. just my 2 cents worth.