Which Damsel Fish is this?

hien.nguyen80 · 03/10/2007, 04:21 AM

Can't really find this fish on LIVEAQUARIA or anywhere... named "FANCY DAMSEL" at the LFS...

Am curious if they are hardy like the other damsels and if they possess the same "Attributes" =)

Thanks

saltycreefer · 03/10/2007, 04:42 AM

I know it as a bluefin damsel. It loses it's color as it matures and becomes a dull grey color, and gets aggressive.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/10/2007, 05:31 AM

So what you're saying is "total thumbs up?"

this could be something called a "Behn's Damsel", p119 of allen's damselfish book. unfortunately, this book provides no information of use to a reefkeeper except for a mile-long name and a really nice picture. mweeep-mwow

hien.nguyen80 · 03/10/2007, 11:11 AM

They lose all of their color? I saw a pretty big one that retained it color (granted not as BRIGHT)

saltyfishdude · 03/10/2007, 12:22 PM

That is a Black (blue fin as youth) damsel, it will definatly get extremely aggresive once it gets settled in, even if it is small or not. I had one or two when I first got started because my shady LFS neglected to inform me of it's nature. Honestly, I would lose that fish ASAP. It won't be worth the trouble it brings down the road.

DrBegalke · 03/10/2007, 12:35 PM

agree, agressive black damsel

hien.nguyen80 · 03/10/2007, 12:59 PM

AGCAGH! I knew I should've gotten the YELLOW TAIL blue one instead!!!

usmcsgt · 03/10/2007, 01:04 PM

I used to have one of those in my 90 and mine turned a real deep purple, he was beautiful and ive have other damsels i.e a blue devil that were more aggresive than he was. if you like Damsels, I think you will enjoy it.

hien.nguyen80 · 03/10/2007, 05:46 PM

Ah thank you usmcsgt...

I have a tomato and a royal gramma both of which I think can hold their own against him =)

scrmbld33 · 03/10/2007, 05:53 PM

had one of them, was fine when small but got very agressive, very very agressive

Zoos · 03/10/2007, 10:24 PM

Blue Fin Chromis (Neoglyphidodon melas) gets large, aggressive and turns into a very dark purple/black color.

syrinx · 03/10/2007, 10:51 PM

Melas is correct and they are fun fish- can be kept with much larger aggressive fish such as triggers. They can be grey-bluish purple and or black. To me though the biggest feature is their teeth! When you get a good dark one they have some of the larger teeth you`ll see in a reef safe fish.

clevername · 03/11/2007, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by scrmbld33
had one of them, was fine when small but got very agressive, very very agressive

I also started out with one, when i added more fish or corals he was very agressive. Had to give him to my local store. I also have other typs of damsels in my tank that are doing fine, its just this one.

RedEyeElf · 03/11/2007, 09:42 AM

I hate all damsels, you want a small colorful fish, get a chromis, they are so much fun when you have like 10 of them
they scatter everywhere, as soon as you get near tank, SWOOSH, they are one big school darting around the tank

I have had to rip apart entire systems trying to get damsels out on many occasions, small, mean, territorial, work in groups, bad fish to add

had 2 kill a large puffer

NCreefwannabe · 03/11/2007, 07:24 PM

lol chromis are boring. Not all damsels are mean either. usmcgt had that exact fish, he was probably 3-4 inches long and wasnt even as mean as his clownfish, or his tang for that matter.

People give them a bad name because they had a few go mean on them... that doesnt make them all mean. Ive seen tangs that are mean or nice, ive seen nice maroon clowns.... don't throw them all into one huge heap.

As far as ripping apart a system to catch them, thats most any fish lol. unless you get lucky and the fish is dumb.

EVT · 03/11/2007, 08:35 PM

I would say most damsels i have seen get somewhat pugnacious as they get older. It also seems best if they are the last fish added to a tank. Otherwise they stake the territory and will defend it agaist all new comers. I have a Molucca damsel (Stegaste simsiang) and he is in a nano-tanks with a false Percula about half his size and they get along fine. They do not use the same part of the tank except for feeding time. Clown is a open swimmer, while the damsel lives in the rocks.

03/10/2007, 04:21 AM	#1
hien.nguyen80 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 46	Which Damsel Fish is this? Can't really find this fish on LIVEAQUARIA or anywhere... named "FANCY DAMSEL" at the LFS... Am curious if they are hardy like the other damsels and if they possess the same "Attributes" =) Thanks

03/10/2007, 04:42 AM	#2
saltycreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Fairfield,CT Posts: 1,696	I know it as a bluefin damsel. It loses it's color as it matures and becomes a dull grey color, and gets aggressive. __________________ I love being a turtle!!! Current Tank Info: Got out of tanks for a little while.

03/10/2007, 05:31 AM	#3
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	So what you're saying is "total thumbs up?" this could be something called a "Behn's Damsel", p119 of allen's damselfish book. unfortunately, this book provides no information of use to a reefkeeper except for a mile-long name and a really nice picture. mweeep-mwow __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

03/10/2007, 12:22 PM	#5
saltyfishdude Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Grover Beach, CA Posts: 93	That is a Black (blue fin as youth) damsel, it will definatly get extremely aggresive once it gets settled in, even if it is small or not. I had one or two when I first got started because my shady LFS neglected to inform me of it's nature. Honestly, I would lose that fish ASAP. It won't be worth the trouble it brings down the road. __________________ . Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef

03/10/2007, 12:35 PM	#6
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	agree, agressive black damsel __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

03/10/2007, 11:11 AM	#4
hien.nguyen80 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 46	They lose all of their color? I saw a pretty big one that retained it color (granted not as BRIGHT)

03/10/2007, 12:59 PM	#7
hien.nguyen80 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 46	AGCAGH! I knew I should've gotten the YELLOW TAIL blue one instead!!!

03/10/2007, 01:04 PM	#8
usmcsgt Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 999	I used to have one of those in my 90 and mine turned a real deep purple, he was beautiful and ive have other damsels i.e a blue devil that were more aggresive than he was. if you like Damsels, I think you will enjoy it. __________________ There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits on the human capacity for intelligence, imagination and wonder. -- Ronald Reagan Current Tank Info: 100 Gal Mixed reef Cube.

03/10/2007, 05:46 PM	#9
hien.nguyen80 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 46	Ah thank you usmcsgt... I have a tomato and a royal gramma both of which I think can hold their own against him =)

03/10/2007, 05:53 PM	#10
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	had one of them, was fine when small but got very agressive, very very agressive __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

03/10/2007, 10:24 PM	#11
Zoos Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,334	Blue Fin Chromis (Neoglyphidodon melas) gets large, aggressive and turns into a very dark purple/black color. __________________ "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." Current Tank Info: None.

03/10/2007, 10:51 PM	#12
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	Melas is correct and they are fun fish- can be kept with much larger aggressive fish such as triggers. They can be grey-bluish purple and or black. To me though the biggest feature is their teeth! When you get a good dark one they have some of the larger teeth you`ll see in a reef safe fish. __________________ My views are based on 49years as an aquarist, 25 years as a pro reef consultant, 10 years of owning a LFS, and the results of thousands of customers tanks. But I am always learning.

03/11/2007, 09:42 AM	#14
RedEyeElf Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 462	I hate all damsels, you want a small colorful fish, get a chromis, they are so much fun when you have like 10 of them they scatter everywhere, as soon as you get near tank, SWOOSH, they are one big school darting around the tank I have had to rip apart entire systems trying to get damsels out on many occasions, small, mean, territorial, work in groups, bad fish to add had 2 kill a large puffer

03/11/2007, 07:24 PM	#15
NCreefwannabe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 953	lol chromis are boring. Not all damsels are mean either. usmcgt had that exact fish, he was probably 3-4 inches long and wasnt even as mean as his clownfish, or his tang for that matter. People give them a bad name because they had a few go mean on them... that doesnt make them all mean. Ive seen tangs that are mean or nice, ive seen nice maroon clowns.... don't throw them all into one huge heap. As far as ripping apart a system to catch them, thats most any fish lol. unless you get lucky and the fish is dumb.

03/11/2007, 08:35 PM	#16
EVT Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Western Washinton Posts: 2	I would say most damsels i have seen get somewhat pugnacious as they get older. It also seems best if they are the last fish added to a tank. Otherwise they stake the territory and will defend it agaist all new comers. I have a Molucca damsel (Stegaste simsiang) and he is in a nano-tanks with a false Percula about half his size and they get along fine. They do not use the same part of the tank except for feeding time. Clown is a open swimmer, while the damsel lives in the rocks.