Damsels

[huntnikk]

I have been reading through the forum randomly...and I here some negative things about Damsels...
I wanted to startt a topic on it to get peoples opinions on them good or bad..

I started my tank with damsels for cycling (no live rock people in my tank remember) I lost all but one blue damsel which I still have 117 days and counting. He does great with all the other fish.
I also have 4 yellow damsels for about 60 days now... they also get along great wih all the other fish..

 

[crazyelece]

I like some of the damsels. I had a few. I think they are actually good beginner fish and do well in a school. The problem becomes when someone gets them to cycle a tank and doesn't want to keep them. Then they usually add too many and they are a pain to catch and remove. I also don't like the practice of selling those damsels that lose all color as they transition from juveniles to adults like the blue velvet damsel. Over all I like them and still have a blue damsel in one of my tanks.

 

[Navarre]

The only damsels i would have (And do have) are clowns and chromis. The rest would never be allowed anywhere near my system! WHen you have a full reef setup even just one of these little critters can harrass and bully large angel fish 5 or 6 times their size! argumentative, territorial beyond belief and IMO tehre are other fish that look just as pretty with better temperments. )

 

[huntnikk]

The only damsels i would have (And do have) are clowns and chromis. The rest would never be allowed anywhere near my system! WHen you have a full reef setup even just one of these little critters can harrass and bully large angel fish 5 or 6 times their size! argumentative, territorial beyond belief and IMO tehre are other fish that look just as pretty with better temperments. )

well so far in the forums I like your opinions... so what about a fish only tank...not a live reef tank?

 

[Navarre]

Its not a reef issue.. these fish are completely reef safe. They wont harm corals or inverts etc but they are extremly territorial with their surroundings. It doesnt seem to matter how large your tank is, whether its 2ft or 10ft, they will claim it all for themselves!
If you mean a fish only tank that doesnt oprate with liverock then perhaps they will be easier to catch but their aggression will be the same in a tank designed for fish only. WHat i have seen done however with some success is to keep several damsels of the same species together. THey then tend to ignore other fish and argue all day long among themselves!

 

[RoyalGrammaPrincessHannah]

I love the look of the yellow-tails. It is the prettiest blue color I have ever seen. Mine is the shyest fish I have ever owned, and hides in it's rock when frightened a lot easier than any other fish I have. They just have different personalities. I hear that this species can be more aggressive with the security of a shoal though.

 

[Aquascaper]

Navarre: Remeber the hassle I had with 'Graham' the Talbot's Damsel

I have developed an overwhelming hatred of these fish solely down to that little bundle of scales. He harassed and killed quiet a few of my fish and it took me 4 days to catch him, eventually I had to herd him into a corner with an acrylic sheet and squeeze him between the glass and the sheet of acrylic to get a grip on him.

He now lives at the LFS and I swear he laughs at me whenever he sees me up there..............little bas***d!

 

[jasmine]

I have a blue devil damsel in my reef, he is fine with my other fish

 

[steelhealr]

No damsels in my tank..no way..no how. SH

 

[huntnikk]

Interesting results on the pool so far... very even....

 

[L200]

I have 5 humbugs in my tank,they were rather boisterious at first but now they have settled down and argue amongst themselves!

 

[Jeff20147]

I cycled mine with Dominio Damsels and Live Rock, they are actually really good fish, cheap too!

The two I have are not agressive towards any of the fish, we also have a Azure one also its pretty, yellow belly and blue.

 

[FishOwner]

In the right tank damsels can be great! The biggest problem with damsels is that they are often sold to newbies who have no idea what their temperment is like. Used to cycle the tank, the survivors then claim the entire thing and when the owner tries to add more fish...well, watch out!! Not the fishes fault for following its nature....

I like damsels and I have 2 three striped damsels plus a pair of ocellaris clowns. I don't think I'd have a SW tank without at least one damsel!