Yellowtail Blue Damselfish: your experience?

[Newreeflady]

Hi-

I'm considering this fish as the last addition to my 20H housing a mature ocellaris pair and a yellow watchman.

I would like to hear your experiences with this fish. My hope is that it will not be bullied by the clownfish, which can be a bit bullyish, but that the damsel will also not be too aggressive as I don't want an aggressive nano!

I have read that this is one of the least aggressive of the damsels. My questions are:

1) will it disturb the yellow watchman, or is it more a column swimmer that won't care about the goby that stays at the bottom.

2) will it hold its own against the ocellaris pair?

3) how aggressive is it?

Thanks!

 

[ethank77]

I had one it was a bully to all others but maybe it was just him.
infact he was sobad I called he be-elsabub

 

[Manuel Martinez]

This fish is very aggresive to others fish of his size.

 

[Grassroots]

Interesting my experience is that this damsel is peaceful towards other fish, I had two of them in one tank and they were not aggressive towards each other nor other fish.

 

[phil519]

my exp is similar to grassroots...

I have one in my 120. Last fish added. We saved it along with a pair of true percs from a club member who's tank cracked.

It gets chased around by my (psycho) kole tang and my true percs. While it is not chased by either my pearly jawfish or firefish - it also does not bother them.

But all fish are different. You never know.

 

[Newreeflady]

hmmm... two bad experiences, two good. Although, a 120g is MUCH different than a 20g. Grassroots, how large was your system?

He would be the smallest fish upon entry according to the order sheet. Initially I'm sure the clowns will intimidate him.

ethtank & manuel, was this among the first, or the last fish you added? Did he bully those who came before him, or only after?

 

[Grassroots]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15593701#post15593701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Newreeflady
hmmm... two bad experiences, two good. Although, a 120g is MUCH different than a 20g. Grassroots, how large was your system?

He would be the smallest fish upon entry according to the order sheet. Initially I'm sure the clowns will intimidate him.

ethtank & manuel, was this among the first, or the last fish you added? Did he bully those who came before him, or only after?

It was in a 55g. Yellow tails shouldn't have the bad rep that the dominios or three stripped / humbug, i find them nice and peaceful lol.

 

[jbird69]

pure evil!

 

[chris88]

i have had a few different ones over the past few years and i find it non aggressive. I think your pair of clowns will hold its own and keep the yellow tail from its terratory. Mine basically hides in an sps all day except to dart out and eat.

 

[Newreeflady]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15594122#post15594122 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chris88
i have had a few different ones over the past few years and i find it non aggressive. I think your pair of clowns will hold its own and keep the yellow tail from its terratory. Mine basically hides in an sps all day except to dart out and eat.

Really? I was hoping for a swimmer- nothing that darts around, but a fish that swims a bit. :/

Thanks,
Angela

 

[Newreeflady]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15593894#post15593894 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jbird69
pure evil!

I know it's easy to answer these posts with one or two words, guys, but whenever possible please write out a bit more about your experience. I've asked for a bit of relevant info:

When did you add the fish, first or last?

What was the size of the system?

Were there other aggressors in the tank? What fish did it bully?

Thanks,
Angela

 

[unbreakable]

1) It could but the watchman will protect its territory. When it hides in the watchman's territory it wont mind that the watchman is upset

2) No problem against that

3) If you add it last it's fine, if you add it before adding other fish it's very aggressive. Will hunt down the fish. Even if you shut lights off it momentarily interrupts it but will continue hunting the other fish within seconds. For a few days it wont let the other fish eat and might continue looking for it

 

[Ian55]

I have one in my BC 29. It was the 1st fish in, it has tried to bully my yellow watchman (which was added a few months later) but the watchman can back him down, I should mention that the watchman is paired up with a pistol shrimp so it has a nice cave to retreat to if needed. I think if the damsel had been added later it would never have had a chance to bully anything at all.

 

[Newreeflady]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15594302#post15594302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by unbreakable
1) It could but the watchman will protect its territory. When it hides in the watchman's territory it wont mind that the watchman is upset

2) No problem against that

3) If you add it last it's fine, if you add it before adding other fish it's very aggressive. Will hunt down the fish. Even if you shut lights off it momentarily interrupts it but will continue hunting the other fish within seconds. For a few days it wont let the other fish eat and might continue looking for it

Thanks for the detailed response, Ruben

Wow, wild. I really wouldn't have room for another fish after this last one, so there would be no additions after him. I suppose if I ever upgrade I'd have to add him to the new system last for sure. I think this is the case with a lot of the semi-agressives, no? That they tend to be more aggressive toward fish that arrive after them, I mean.

Thanks again,
Angela

 

[tkimmons85]

I have had a yellowtail damsel since I started my tank. I currently also have a pair of clowns and a lawnmower blenny. They all get along like good friends but I do have alot of live rock for my damsel to hide in which he does alot. So I guess he feels like he has his own space.

 

[Newreeflady]

Hi tk,

I hear you about the territory thing. My clowns used to take up very little space when they had an anemone, but now they have free reign and no reason to stay in one place. I'm ordering a few lps that will come in with the new fish (yellowtail blue damsel or african flameback angel) and I'll need to do a touch of rearrangment. This will probably throw off the clownfish's territory a bit, and I'm hoping they will find a coral that they decide to stick with.

As to rockwork, I went with more in this tank than I would normally have. There are many nano-sized rocks stacked such that there are lots of tunnels and holes in the rockwork, which goes clear to the top- my clowns love swimming in and out of the holes and caves.

How often would you say that the damsel swims with compare to hiding? 50/50, or? I don't want a fish that hides 90% of the time:/ I would like to see this fish a good portion of the time from across the room.

Thanks for the input.
Angela

 

[mat167]

I've seen both sides of the little guys. From what I've seen it generally spends a lot of its time out in the open. I've had a pair of them in 135 gallon, and they got along great with all the other inhabitants. On the other hand, I tried keeping 4 of them in a 20 gallon and it was pure mayhem. I was left with one very mean damsel. I would consider a different fish for your 20 gallon JMHO.

 

[gatormoto]

evil! harrassed every fish i put in after them... so bad in fact that i had to take every single rock out of my 180g to get them out. never again!

 

[jbird69]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15594268#post15594268 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Newreeflady
I know it's easy to answer these posts with one or two words, guys, but whenever possible please write out a bit more about your experience. I've asked for a bit of relevant info:

When did you add the fish, first or last?

What was the size of the system?

Were there other aggressors in the tank? What fish did it bully?

Thanks,
Angela

Sorry

Theyre only evil because any new fish I add to the tank has to go 15 rounds with my 2 yellowtails. I have had blennys, gobies and dottybacks not survive this "innitiation". My maroon clown doesnt help the issue either. My current community, including my two yellowtails have great harmony. I have had my yellowtails for about 6 years. I love them and wouldnt get rid of them for anything. I have not seen any fish bluer than these two little guys.

My current fish list.

2 yellowtail blue damsels
1 hippo tang
1 maroon clown
1 royal gramma ( barely survived innitiation...now happy and healthy)
1 CB shrimp

 

[Imzadi]

5 Green Chromis, and 3 Yellow-tails Blue Damsels go in... 6 months later, the 'pair' of Yellow-tails were left. They killed off the Chromis, and chose who was the weaker of the three, and killed him off. I attempted to add a Watchman, dead. And that was it. Then I spent WEEKS trying to get them out. Ended up dismantling the tank completely to get them out. Very fast, and very smart. (Note my signature)

I say, yes, people have had good luck, and had passive ones. And yes, they say if he is the last one added, they are fine... but hold the phone. Are you NEVER going to buy another fish? You are about to buy the last fish that will go in your tank. I say TOTALLY not worth the risk. JBird says that new fish have to 'prove themselves' when they enter. I dunno about you, but I am not a fan of Thunderdome in my tank.

I love all my fish, I really do... but in the end, I was wishing a great harm to befall on these two little spawns of satan. And a great sigh of reef-relief when they were finally out.

The only real advice I can give you is, you gotta really want one, or its just not worth the risk, and not fair to other fishes.