Would I be stupid to add some damsels?

[sonofgaladriel]

I'm feeling my reef needs a larger number of smaller reef fish swimming about to help it look more 'natural' now that I'm back to larger softies and nems. I also think it needs some more blue. I'm tired of the blue/green chromis.
I'm contemplating adding a dozen or so yellow tail damsels (bright royal blue with yellow tails) to fulfill those needs. Reportedly, they are the least aggressive damsel and do well in groups.
I'm thinking that by adding a large number, like 10 or 12 at the same time, might work to keep aggression down and the least likely any one of them would establish a large enough territory to bother my other fish or any newly added fish.
Plus, damsels should be safe around my many nems too.
Am I crazy to intentionally add damsels to my reef? I can't think of any other brightly colored, cheap, and hardy reef fishes out there?

 

[JamesJR]

I like damsels and I had some in my 30 gallon reef. Good fish but not for every tank. What other fish do you have in your tank?

 

[sonofgaladriel]

A few angels, some mature clowns, purple tang, fairy wrasses, blue hippo tang, and a marine beta.

 

[Jadran]

i think they might constantly bullying your percs.

 

[sonofgaladriel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8686499#post8686499 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jadran
i think they might constantly bullying your percs.

Yeah, that is a primary concern, but I think that since the clowns are quite large and have established territories already, the tiny 1/2" damsels won't want to mess with them, and hopefully, the damsels will develop a respect for the clowns as they grow themselves.
Of course, my reasoning could be all wrong
Justifying this may be harder than I thought

 

[Jadran]

well I think percs and skunks are just to docile fishes for those redtailed bastardos If you have large old females, who knows. but still risky business.. If you're not emotionally stuck with percs and skunks maybe its ok idea to replace them with some more aggressive clowns which could stand up to those nasty little buggers..

friend of mine have old tank with huge crispa (over 15 years in his aquarium)

there is plenty of small aggressive fishes inside: gang of blue damsels, diadema dottyback... but mama Clarkii is the one who runs the show

 

[Sk8r]

I ran a 100g with a blue velvet, a yellowtail, a white and black stripe and a domino, plus 2 percs. As long as the percs ruled their corner with their anemone, the damsels kept their distance. I also had a lawnmower, couple of dragonets, and a small angel. It was busy, but outside of the episode of the ghost eel [which ate everything but the damsels [I'd sold the clowns]] we didn't have fatalities.

 

[JamesJR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8686788#post8686788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jadran
well I think percs and skunks are just to docile fishes for those redtailed bastardos If you have large old females, who knows. but still risky business.. If you're not emotionally stuck with percs and skunks maybe its ok idea to replace them with some more aggressive clowns which could stand up to those nasty little buggers..

friend of mine have old tank with huge crispa (over 15 years in his aquarium)

there is plenty of small aggressive fishes inside: gang of blue damsels, diadema dottyback... but mama Clarkii is the one who runs the show

Nice.
That tank is kicking it old school.

 

[zoomfish1]

I went thru the same color boredom with my 75g. I added those little purple reef chromis, 6 of them. Brightened the tank up and keep to themselves.

 

[Ocicat]

I'd be shocked if yellowtail damsels bullied your clowns. I have two, and they do some sniping at each other (yet still hang together all the time) but ignore other fish. I know another, local reefer who says he's always had a yellowtail in every tank he's had (over the course of 15 years or so), and he's never had a problem with aggression.

It's a shame that all damsels get lumped in together all the time... There are actually several kinds that are not very aggressive, but yellowtails seem to be the most easily available of those.

 

[Ocicat]

BTW, I am looking again at my Marine Fishes book by Michael, and want to clarify that the "yellowtail damsel" I am referring to is C. parasema, also called the yellowtail blue damsel - that's the electric blue w/yellow tail.

There is another "yellowtail damselfish" - Microspathodon chrysurus - that isn't nearly as pretty (as an adult) and is much more aggressive.

The Talbot's, Allen's, azure (C. hemicyanea), and Starck's are a few other less-aggressive damsels. Also, I recently encountered the King demoiselle (C. rex) at an LFS - beautiful but after reading about them I was afraid they'd actually be too peaceful for some of the other fish I have in my tank (namely the pinktail trigger).

I had to flip through the fish book at the LFS to figure out what kind of damsel they were... The LFS employees always look at me like I'm crazy when I ask what the specific species name is of some damsel. Like, "They're all 5 bucks - who cares?"

 

[Avast Marine]

The LFS employees always look at me like I'm crazy when I ask what the specific species name is of some damsel. Like, "They're all 5 bucks - who cares?"

LMAO :lol:

Seriously, I think if the percs would defend their home pretty good if well established in your system. If they misbehave to much you can just get rid of them when you swap tanks. The thing I might be concerned with is the betta eating them all .

Dan

 

[sonofgaladriel]

The beta is pretty small, only about 3" himself. Of course, if things go badly, he'll grow and maybe make a meal of them and save the the hassle of trying to catch them

 

[Flighty]

I really like my chromis. They are a totally different fish in a big school. Of course I have the regals for the blue They pay attention to each other, not the other fish.

Just be sure to QT any damsel you get. People seem to think since it is a cheep fish they don't need to QT, but the worst diseases can come into a tank and wipe out all of your favorites.

 

[sonofgaladriel]

I once had a school of 31 chromis in this tank when I had the SPS and they were really neat for about 2 months. Then they started spreading out and only about half of them schooled. I sold off 20 of them to make room for other fish. The remaining 11 schooled for another month or two before dieing off. I'm down to 2. Even at 240 gallons, I think my tank was too small to sustain a true schol of chromis. I believe that they need an ample amount of swimming room to maintain their schooling, say 300 gallons or larger.
Good advice on the quarantine.