Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Marine Fish

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-14-2016, 06:22 PM
Fin2you Fin2you is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Airdrie, AB
Posts: 81
Fin2you is on a distinguished road
Default Damsel dilemma

So since starting serious looking into stocking my tank I have gotten so much conficting opinions on these fish. Then last week I was at a store with 2 tanks of Azures, 1 tank of about 10 were fighting & chasing each other & I walked right past them. But a couple tanks down there were 3 in with a Clownfish & another fish. 1 Damsel stayed hidden under the rock the whole time I stood there, the one in the back corner bolted behind the rock, but then the one that had been hanging out just in the middle backed off some but after a few seconds came forward to the front of the tank & the longer I stood the the bolder it became going back to swimming around. I brought him/her home. 'Frisky' as my kids have named it darts between hide spaces around the tank but I usually see it sharing 1 specific spot the most which was claimed by the yellow goby weeks previous. The only real time I have seen any sign of aggressive behaviour was during a feed where goby lunged at Frisky which sent Frisky to the other side of the tank. But after the food was gone they were back in the spot together. Maybe I just lucked out on finding a tank of the "rare non jerk damsels"?
I still like the look of the blue Sapphire Damsel & their online 'bios' read the same as the Azure, being the most peaceful of all Damselfish.. Has anyone ever tried mixing 2 quiet guys together? & did it work out? If I was to do it I would look for the a similar situation as like I found with the Azure. A tank to choose from where they weren't fighting with tankmates & stuff. Also probably add a couple new pieces of rock to 'change the tank' up & give new hide-aways @ introduction of one....
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-14-2016, 06:45 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

They are like wrasses where they are all females, then the dominant one becomes males (opposite of Clownfish). All females have the ability to become males if there is no dominant male around. So, if you get two small ones then one will become male and one will be female, and until they sort that out they will fight. If you get one bigger one and one smaller one (the small one has to be smaller enough to ensure it still is female and not a small male already) then they won't fight as much. If you get a group you will get one dominant male, he will pick a female, and the rest will be outsiders. If the tank is big enough they will break into pairs and have their own little territories. If the tank isn't big enough for that then the outsiders will be killed or generally ignored - it's tough to say how it will work out, and it varies form species to species and individual to individual.

In my experiences with many Yellowtail Damsels in several tanks, they are fairly peaceful to other fish, and do best if you have only two (to pair up) and then they are the only damsels (besides Clowns) in the tank. If you keep them like this then there isn't usually a problem. I've never kept Sapphires, and I've found Yellowtails to be more peaceful than Azures. I also think that any damsels do better in tanks that are at least 40-60 gallons as they will have more space. I find lots of fish that are fairly boisterous are much more likely to become VILE in smaller tanks. Orchid Dottybacks are another example.
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-15-2016, 10:52 AM
Fin2you Fin2you is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Airdrie, AB
Posts: 81
Fin2you is on a distinguished road
Default

OK so if I can find some blue Sapphire Damsel I will look for another shyish fairly small one. I am OK with only 1 of a fish, this tank to me is more about the corals!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-15-2016, 01:57 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fin2you View Post
OK so if I can find some blue Sapphire Damsel I will look for another shyish fairly small one. I am OK with only 1 of a fish, this tank to me is more about the corals!
In a 40-gallon tank, I'd recommend you just have the one. A breeding pair in a tank that size could be trouble. I'd also suggest that you pick more boisterous fish as tank mates.
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-15-2016, 02:04 PM
Fin2you Fin2you is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Airdrie, AB
Posts: 81
Fin2you is on a distinguished road
Default

Right now I have the 2 baby clownfish, yellow prawn goby, lawnmower Blenny with the Azure Damsel & then a few snails & 1 Scarlet reef Hermit crab plus an unknown number of macro Brittle starfish. Not sure what else to add! I had a few fish in mind (hawkfish, a Helfrichi firefish, 6line wrasse, Mandarin Dragonet) but for 1 reason or another I keep taking them off the list.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-15-2016, 02:15 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fin2you View Post
Right now I have the 2 baby clownfish, yellow prawn goby, lawnmower Blenny with the Azure Damsel & then a few snails & 1 Scarlet reef Hermit crab plus an unknown number of macro Brittle starfish. Not sure what else to add! I had a few fish in mind (hawkfish, a Helfrichi firefish, 6line wrasse, Mandarin Dragonet) but for 1 reason or another I keep taking them off the list.
Your current fish are a good combo. I wouldn't put a 6-line Wrasse is a tank that size. They are one of the fish that can be VILE in smaller tanks. A Mandarin probably won't get enough food in a tank that size unless you train it to eat frozen food in a quarantine tank before introducing it. If your Damsel is still fairly small then the Firefish and the Hawkfish would probably do just fine. They stick to the rocks like the Damsel (and Yellow Prawn Goby), so their territories would overlap, but the Damsel should get over it as long as it's not so big that it will kick everyone's butt.
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-15-2016, 03:11 PM
Fin2you Fin2you is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Airdrie, AB
Posts: 81
Fin2you is on a distinguished road
Default

I took the hawkfish off b/c I didn't want more lower rock dwelling fish out of risk for issues. The wrasse b/c of size & aggression. & Mandarin b/c of Feeding issues.
I would like something maybe that swims out in the open a bit more?
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-15-2016, 03:43 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fin2you View Post
I took the hawkfish off b/c I didn't want more lower rock dwelling fish out of risk for issues. The wrasse b/c of size & aggression. & Mandarin b/c of Feeding issues.
I would like something maybe that swims out in the open a bit more?
Cardinals, Royal Grammas, and Firefish will all hide lots at first and while small, but once they are comfortable and bigger they will swim in the open lots. Bangaii Cardinals are often quite shy, and I wouldn't pick them.
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-15-2016, 03:55 PM
Fin2you Fin2you is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Airdrie, AB
Posts: 81
Fin2you is on a distinguished road
Default

The yellow striped Cardinal looks kinda neat & Liveaquaria lists it as 10+gal tank.. May just have to see if anyone sells them in Calgary!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:22 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.