SPDF---Society for the Protection of Damselfish.

Sk8r · 05/11/2006, 10:48 PM

A much-maligned fish: someone should come to the defense of the poor damsel...

Their needs are totally misunderstood. They simply have space requirements and anxiety issues. Anyone looking to get a damsel should have a 500 gallon tank and plenty of rock. Anything less and they become frenetic, panicked, aggressive, and nippaceous.

[Considering I've seen them grow to the size of dinnerplates, I don't think the 500 gallon is that far off.]

L and L · 05/15/2006, 01:52 AM

ha! good one.

Some member here used to say:

Quote:

If damsel fish were the size of sharks, they'd rule the oceans!

hehe

Speaking of "problem childs", I am really thinking about getting a mantis shrimp tank (acrylic

Would be very cool to watch.

MCary · 05/15/2006, 09:17 AM

They are a beautiful reef safe fish. They just force you to make choices.

Mike

Kigs · 05/15/2006, 09:39 AM

yea first time i saw a big damsel, i was like... what the ****... it was size of a baseball.

Travis L. Stevens · 05/15/2006, 09:51 AM

Sk8r, I couldn't agree more. You'll love the article I wrote for this months Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society (OMAS) Newsletter.

ACBlinky · 05/15/2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MCary
They are a beautiful reef safe fish. They just force you to make choices.

Mike

I couldn't agree more. I love my damsels. They're intelligent, pretty, and tough as nails. I keep them with fish that can easily handle their spunky little personalities and dish the attitude right back, and so far there have been no problems.

Here's my little four-stripe, the LFS couldn't wait to get rid of him. He's great fun to watch and plays nicely with all his tankmates

wheelspin · 05/15/2006, 02:47 PM

I got one in a lot of stuff I bought from a guy. Now he is my responsibility and he has his own place in a small 10gal.

I have lost two nice clowns in the past month or so out of my larger tank. One to a powerhead accident and a new b/w that was murdered by my serpant star. My free Damsel will probably live forever...

Sk8r · 05/15/2006, 04:45 PM

I find it a bit ironic that everyone (well, at least a significant portion of everyone) understands the psychological needs of tangs, which grow large, and anthias, which simply need 6 feet of running-room or they stress out...but damsels, whose adult size is roughly that of a dinner plate---nearly to the size of a tang---are routinely inserted into small aquaria and expected to make do. A wee bit of a blind spot in our hobby, dare we say?

ACBlinky · 05/15/2006, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
...but damsels, whose adult size is roughly that of a dinner plate...

I'm not sure I understand this part - SOME damsels get large, but many that are routinely kept stay quite small. I keep three damsels (not all in the same tank):
Chrysiptera taupou, the SouthSeas devil damsel, which reaches 2.5"
Chrysiptera talboti, Talbot's damsel, which reaches ~2"
Dascyllus melanurus, the four striped humbug, which reaches 3"
(Info courtesy of wetwebmedia's damsel index )
I've seen some of the larger damsels; a 5" damsel is something to see when it's kept in a BIG tank with fish that can handle what it dishes out.

05/11/2006, 10:48 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	SPDF---Society for the Protection of Damselfish. A much-maligned fish: someone should come to the defense of the poor damsel... Their needs are totally misunderstood. They simply have space requirements and anxiety issues. Anyone looking to get a damsel should have a 500 gallon tank and plenty of rock. Anything less and they become frenetic, panicked, aggressive, and nippaceous. [Considering I've seen them grow to the size of dinnerplates, I don't think the 500 gallon is that far off.] __________________ 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%.

05/15/2006, 09:51 AM	#5
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Sk8r, I couldn't agree more. You'll love the article I wrote for this months Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society (OMAS) Newsletter. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

05/15/2006, 04:45 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I find it a bit ironic that everyone (well, at least a significant portion of everyone) understands the psychological needs of tangs, which grow large, and anthias, which simply need 6 feet of running-room or they stress out...but damsels, whose adult size is roughly that of a dinner plate---nearly to the size of a tang---are routinely inserted into small aquaria and expected to make do. A wee bit of a blind spot in our hobby, dare we say? __________________ 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%.

05/15/2006, 09:17 AM	#3
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	They are a beautiful reef safe fish. They just force you to make choices. Mike

05/15/2006, 09:39 AM	#4
Kigs Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: LI, NY Posts: 2,182	yea first time i saw a big damsel, i was like... what the ****... it was size of a baseball.

05/15/2006, 02:47 PM	#7
wheelspin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: VA Posts: 61	I got one in a lot of stuff I bought from a guy. Now he is my responsibility and he has his own place in a small 10gal. I have lost two nice clowns in the past month or so out of my larger tank. One to a powerhead accident and a new b/w that was murdered by my serpant star. My free Damsel will probably live forever...