Small bully-proof fish?

B

Betta132

New member
I have a 29 Biocube that I'd like to add one more critter to. Currently I have a Wheeler's shrimpgoby, a tiger pistol, a couple of hermits, a money cowrie, and my problem. A yellowtail blue damsel. He's cute, colorful, and full of personality, so I don't wanna get rid of him. However, he's a jerkface to small new things. I tried to add a Hector's goby at one point... he chased it into the rockwork and it never came out. Not sure if it died of something unrelated or if he killed it.
My first thought was simple: clown goby. They taste nasty, so they're bully-proof.
Any other suggestions? I need something little (two inches or less unless very skinny), so the bio-load in the tank can stay fairly light. Something that eats small processed foods would be best. I also need something that's either really showy and puffy, in order to scare away the cowardly damsel, or something that tastes bad. I don't want to hurt the damsel, though, so no overly spiny things or outright toxic things.
 
The pistol is over two inches long, snaps at everything that gets near, and hides from anything that could possibly get at it. I doubt any small dottyback could swallow it. Might have to try that... any suggestions for a peaceful species? I know they all defend their holes, but is there a kind that stays calm?
I considered a cherub angel, since they're teeny, but I don't want to end up with it trying to kill the damsel. What are my chances of getting a nice one?
 
Use an acclimitization box. Or re-arrange the tank. Or use the mirror trick. Or put a large scary object in there like a net or eggcrate. These are all tricks to allow a newcomer in the tank to settle in without getting too beat up. Or catch the damsel and put it in a box or sump until the newcomer gets adjusted.
 
Royal Gramma, Frimandi, Cherub Angel, Flameback Angel, Sankeye Pseudo, Strawberry Pseudo...

Royal Gramma would probably be first choice.

Dave B
 
They didn't have clown gobies. They did have a disco blenny, AKA Smith's fangblenny. The blenny is longer than the damsel, in addition to being venomous and therefore confident. We'll have to see how this goes, but I'm confident.
 
A tailspot blenny would probably do well. Beautiful, active ,and not too concerned w/ other tank-mates. A clown goby should be good too, as you suggested.
An angel in a 29g is not a great idea, but could work, I would not do it--it would dominate.
A Midas blenny is an option too.
 
Seems to be going well. The damsel is doing his best to bully the blenny, but it's not working well. Waving his tail in the blenny's face is useless, and attempting to bite only results in the blenny moving about an inch away from him and continuing on. Basically, the blenny is ignoring all attempts at bullying it.
This blenny has a very strange ability. He can stick himself to the glass when nervous. I don't mean like gobies will, with their suction-cup fins. He sticks his side to the glass or the side of the bag, whichever he's on. It's like he's a flounder. He also turns greenish-yellow and blotchy, an apparent attempt to be seaweed.
He's already pretty bold. My guess is that's because he's venomous and he knows it. Right now, though, he's exploring the rockwork. I'll try to get a decent picture when he stops exploring all the dark corners and hidey-spots.
 
If you have a cover- most hawkfish can stand their own. Otherwise I agree with the dwarf angel. But since your tank is only 29 the only dwarf angel that I think can reasonably live there for long run without looking like animal cruelty is a cherub angel or a fallback angel- which are plenty mean in my own experience.
 
Betta132 said:
....
He's already pretty bold. My guess is that's because he's venomous and he knows it. Right now, though, he's exploring the rockwork. I'll try to get a decent picture when he stops exploring all the dark corners and hidey-spots.
Click to expand...

I am glad he is holding his own. I hate to see fish get bullied, I have gotten rid of plenty of "mean" fish, it's disappointing to have to do that. Glad to hear the Damsel is putting little stress on him...

Let's see a picture?
 
I suspect a yellow assessor and tail spot blenny would get crushed by a damsel if it decided it woke on the wrong side of the bed. Both of these fish were once out front all the time until I got a pair of purple Firefish. Yes Firefish, the wimps of the oceanic world.

The FF drove both into the rock work. The YA pair will come out to feed but stay in the rocks except for brief forays into the open. They stay well away from the FF and will never confront them. The tailspot blenny necer defended himself and never came out of the rocks. So while quite peaceful, these two fish may not be able to defend themselves from an aggressive damsel.
 
The damsel is a bully, but he's a wimpy little coward. If the blenny even HINTS at biting him, he'll probably run away. He's a yellowtail... they're like the wimpy minions of the bully world.
Here he is! He's a bit less yellow in person. There he is checking out the net I put in to scare the damsel. Damsel hides from it, blenny just looks curious.
The second picture... take a look in that circle. For some reason he's decided that he should sleep wrapped around the turtle grass stem. He's also gone all blotchy and brownish to blend in a bit better. His eyes are perfectly clear, he's shifted a few times, and he's breathing. Judging by the fact that he sticks himself to the wall sometimes, this is how he sleeps. Weird.
Considering naming him Flounder.
 
A fang blenny can definately hang with a damsel. It will bite it if necessary and your damsel only needs to learn this lesson once. His tooth is oprobably his source of confidence.

My last comment on the Tailspot Blenny was a response to another poster discouraging the combination. Good luck with your new fish.
 
I have 4 yellow tail damsels and they get along with the other stuff in the tank. They definitely don't bother my flamefish. I have two clowns in there that they ignore, and they don't bother the PJ Cardinals either... They do sometimes try to annoy the lawnmower bleeny, shaking their yellow tails at him, but he holds his own and charges them a bit and they back off.
 
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