DAMSELS---require 100 gallon tank

Sk8r · 03/04/2014, 01:30 PM

They are NOT aggressive in the manner of aggressive fish (predator types).

If kept properly you will not deal with ripped fins and disappearing tankmates.

Some school, and make a pretty show: chromis.

Many spend their entire lives within 2 feet of home base (in the wild.) This means they are one fish that stays within size for most of our tanks and whose entire life requirement can be happily provided in a not-huge living room tank.

Some things you need to know: it's not 100 gallons per fish. It's 100 gallons to let these fish have enough room. They move around like squares on a Rubik's Cube: they have, however, a home base, a particular hole in the rock.

Stocking your tank with one of a kind damsels is best: exception: clowns, which can pair; and chromis and the smallest damsels will school.
BUT if you overstock, there will not be enough holes come twilight, and they fight to the death over holes, instinct-driven, and mortally serious. This is why people who put 7 chromis in a 55 end up, slowly, with one fish.

Damsels that require still more room: the Garabaldi, the blue velvet, and the Sergeant Major. Do not mistake the calmer b&w striped damsels for the Sergeant Major: they're perfectly fine, calm citizens.

One of a kind. Remember that. They fight their own kind, not others, unless crowded: then they freak and start defending their chosen turf. If crowd pressure or size of tank forces other fish into that area---bad news.

My favorite tank is a damsel tank: I can have any fish besides: blennies, gobies, wrasses, you name it. Damsels don't care. They chase, but never nip. They're in constant motion, bright blues, azures, yellows, and a brilliant black and white, (and a royal gramma, fuschia and yellow: he's not damsel, but a basslet)---and there is not a nipped fin in the lot. They're hardy, colorful, and cheap.

I recommend punctuating your rockwork with holey spires of rock, tall boundary markers---this seems particularly effective at defining territory. And do not put above one damsel in a 50. And NO damsels but clowns or maybe a solitary silly chromis in anything under a 50. Hit 100 gallons and you can have a nice colorful community.

They do not bother corals. They don't bother shrimp. They will eat mysis cube, Cyclopeeze, flake, you name it. They're not prone to get diseases if you keep your tank parameters that of a coral reef. They generally stay under 5" in the wild and rarely over 3" in a tank environment. They define their territory by bluff and display, and generally the smallest, slowest fish are perfectly safe with them...in that 100 g tank.

Reef Frog · 03/04/2014, 03:15 PM

Good information. I've never attempted to keep them or Dottybacks because of their reputation.

I saw a Garabaldi damsel at a LFS grow from a tiny little thing to about 4" quickly. It didn't sell for a long time but was quite expensive. It was a beautiful fish - it lost some brightness as it grew but was still impressive. I would definitely give them a try when I get a big tank.

Mhay · 03/04/2014, 04:21 PM

I've got 1 little yellow tail in my 75 and he seemed to establish his home on the right side of the tank in a few rock crevices. I just recently add a royal gramma, and tried to release him on the left side of the tank and right away that little blue devil flew from one side of the tank to the other to size this guy up. For the most part he keeps in the general area of the gramma. I personally haven't seen any serious aggression and the gramma tends to stay pretty well hidden. Should I be worried about him at all or is the damsel bark worse than his bite?

benjc · 03/04/2014, 05:44 PM

I agree, I've got a pair of blue-green chromis and a pair of yellowtail damsels in my 120 gallon tank and they are model citizens. My pair of clowns however are highly territorial, but only because they are a mating pair.

03/04/2014, 01:30 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	DAMSELS---require 100 gallon tank They are NOT aggressive in the manner of aggressive fish (predator types). If kept properly you will not deal with ripped fins and disappearing tankmates. Some school, and make a pretty show: chromis. Many spend their entire lives within 2 feet of home base (in the wild.) This means they are one fish that stays within size for most of our tanks and whose entire life requirement can be happily provided in a not-huge living room tank. Some things you need to know: it's not 100 gallons per fish. It's 100 gallons to let these fish have enough room. They move around like squares on a Rubik's Cube: they have, however, a home base, a particular hole in the rock. Stocking your tank with one of a kind damsels is best: exception: clowns, which can pair; and chromis and the smallest damsels will school. BUT if you overstock, there will not be enough holes come twilight, and they fight to the death over holes, instinct-driven, and mortally serious. This is why people who put 7 chromis in a 55 end up, slowly, with one fish. Damsels that require still more room: the Garabaldi, the blue velvet, and the Sergeant Major. Do not mistake the calmer b&w striped damsels for the Sergeant Major: they're perfectly fine, calm citizens. One of a kind. Remember that. They fight their own kind, not others, unless crowded: then they freak and start defending their chosen turf. If crowd pressure or size of tank forces other fish into that area---bad news. My favorite tank is a damsel tank: I can have any fish besides: blennies, gobies, wrasses, you name it. Damsels don't care. They chase, but never nip. They're in constant motion, bright blues, azures, yellows, and a brilliant black and white, (and a royal gramma, fuschia and yellow: he's not damsel, but a basslet)---and there is not a nipped fin in the lot. They're hardy, colorful, and cheap. I recommend punctuating your rockwork with holey spires of rock, tall boundary markers---this seems particularly effective at defining territory. And do not put above one damsel in a 50. And NO damsels but clowns or maybe a solitary silly chromis in anything under a 50. Hit 100 gallons and you can have a nice colorful community. They do not bother corals. They don't bother shrimp. They will eat mysis cube, Cyclopeeze, flake, you name it. They're not prone to get diseases if you keep your tank parameters that of a coral reef. They generally stay under 5" in the wild and rarely over 3" in a tank environment. They define their territory by bluff and display, and generally the smallest, slowest fish are perfectly safe with them...in that 100 g tank. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/04/2014, 04:21 PM	#3
Mhay Crazy Cat Lady Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 468	I've got 1 little yellow tail in my 75 and he seemed to establish his home on the right side of the tank in a few rock crevices. I just recently add a royal gramma, and tried to release him on the left side of the tank and right away that little blue devil flew from one side of the tank to the other to size this guy up. For the most part he keeps in the general area of the gramma. I personally haven't seen any serious aggression and the gramma tends to stay pretty well hidden. Should I be worried about him at all or is the damsel bark worse than his bite? __________________ Maggie Current Tank Info: Coralife Biocube 29

03/04/2014, 03:15 PM	#2
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Good information. I've never attempted to keep them or Dottybacks because of their reputation. I saw a Garabaldi damsel at a LFS grow from a tiny little thing to about 4" quickly. It didn't sell for a long time but was quite expensive. It was a beautiful fish - it lost some brightness as it grew but was still impressive. I would definitely give them a try when I get a big tank.

03/04/2014, 05:44 PM	#4
benjc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 636	I agree, I've got a pair of blue-green chromis and a pair of yellowtail damsels in my 120 gallon tank and they are model citizens. My pair of clowns however are highly territorial, but only because they are a mating pair.