Starcki Damsel

CODE3EMT

New member
Bought one of these guys from Divers Den. He seems to spit out most foods I offer. He seems to only like frozen Brine, and reef nutrition Roe. Spits out pellets and other offerings. Any suggestions? He's in a Nuvo 40 with a Bi-Color Angel, Percula Clown, Bangaii Cardinal, Bartletts Anthias, and a Japanese Pygmy Wasp Fish
 
Keep trying other foods, spitting is a step in the right direction believe it or not. Some fish are picky and never eat a specific food. Had a Quoyi parrot that would only eat pellets
 
Hikari mysis is my go-to for new acquisitions. I move them to Rod's Food and LRS Reef Frenzy over time.
 
Keep trying other foods, spitting is a step in the right direction believe it or not. Some fish are picky and never eat a specific food. Had a Quoyi parrot that would only eat pellets

Agree. I went through the same thing with a blue damsel. They get used to other foods with time.
 
Starkis are pretty easy fish to keep happy. Try simple foods like flake and pellets. I've got a 3 some of Starkiis and they eat just about anything.

If you have a local fish/pet store pick up some live black worms. That gets most fish eatng.

Dave B
 
Thanks folks for the advice..... I was just a bit worried. $84.99 for a Damsel was a pretty big leap of faith for me.......well $49.99 + $35.00 shipping that is.
 
I've not found one of these yet, any advice on whom might have one for sale? In the meantime I'll search more online sellers. I've hated Damsels for my own reasons but this one is getting me to change my mind. It's beautiful and probably won't take any crap from my not so angel Cherub Ahole fish :hammer:

I tried adding two black mollies in my tank on Thursday and he tried killing them, so I put them in the sump. At least they will have a chance to live and still produce babies for live food for my DT fish.

Wish I had known he would be like this before I bought him. He is fine with all of the fish that were in my tank which is a pair of true Perculas and one Hector's goby. The clowns were in for a while before adding the Cherub and the Hectors at the same time. So if I add anything it will have to be able to stand up to the CA. My Hectors does bow up every time the CA comes too close. It's funny to watch but he does back away.

Anyway I do want a Starcki Damsel!
 
A Starki Damsel and an aggressive Cherub are not a good mix. Starkis are not able to hold their own against pigmy angels because they are not typically aggressive.
 
Oh well, I'll have to put the Cherub in quarantine if I want to add any new fish I guess. I'm not loving my Cherub like I use to :( :hammer:
 
A Starki Damsel and an aggressive Cherub are not a good mix. Starkis are not able to hold their own against pigmy angels because they are not typically aggressive.

Wait until they are a little older and the aggression comes. Not mentally aggressive like some damsels but mine, who is 4-5 years old, goes for anything I add (which is why I don't add anything) but this maybe because he is in a tank where apart from a marine betta, he's the boss. Saying that however I wouldn't be without it albeit its not a bright and colourful as when I first got it but its bold, active and a favourite.
 
Wait until they are a little older and the aggression comes. Not mentally aggressive like some damsels but mine, who is 4-5 years old, goes for anything I add (which is why I don't add anything) but this maybe because he is in a tank where apart from a marine betta, he's the boss. Saying that however I wouldn't be without it albeit its not a bright and colourful as when I first got it but its bold, active and a favourite.

I think he is aggressive because he has no members of his own species to "play" with. That's why he needs another outlet. This can also be at least in part the cause for his color loss: why try to look pretty if no girls are around to be impressed.
Food may also play a role in the color loss.
 
I think he is aggressive because he has no members of his own species to "play" with. That's why he needs another outlet. This can also be at least in part the cause for his color loss: why try to look pretty if no girls are around to be impressed.
Food may also play a role in the color loss.

I have read several times that people find they get more aggressive as they age but like I mentioned not aggressive by damsel standards, for instance my ocellaris clowns are far worse.
Again I've also read numerous times that their colours fade with age. Whilst I agree that the colour is definitely influenced by foods, mine is fed a varied diet and I don't think this is an issue. Anecdotally I have seen several hundreds of these over the years at wholesalers and the larger are nearly always less vibrant, so I take it as a sign of maturity, although lighting again has an influence.
 
I had a pair in my 8' 240g FOWLR tank. Even though it's mostly butterflies and angels, they didn't compete well and eventually disappeared (timid, IMO, as far as damsels go, from this experience). They didn't have an issue with each other though.
 
I have read several times that people find they get more aggressive as they age but like I mentioned not aggressive by damsel standards, for instance my ocellaris clowns are far worse.
Again I've also read numerous times that their colours fade with age. Whilst I agree that the colour is definitely influenced by foods, mine is fed a varied diet and I don't think this is an issue. Anecdotally I have seen several hundreds of these over the years at wholesalers and the larger are nearly always less vibrant, so I take it as a sign of maturity, although lighting again has an influence.
The colour of my first introduced starki also get less. I recognize that last week as I introduce the new ones. The new ones are bigger than one old one. But the colour of all new ones Is much better! So I think the diet in captive is the problem
 
Just thought I'd post another option after reading how starkis may be timid and lose color.

The Chrysiptera taupou is brilliantly colored and doesn't lose those colors.......as a matter of fact they were more intense than when I purchased mine. He was a model citizen & lived a good 10+ years. Visitors always commented about how awesome the colors were.

They are about a 1/10 of the cost of a starki.

This isn't my pic, but that is an accurate representation of their coloration.

Chrysiptera%20taupou_zps3kt47y67.jpg
 
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