Damsel Tanks..anyone have one?

[Anonymous]

Ok.....I am short on cash and like the idea of having a Damsel/Invert Tank. I have a matured 50 gallon with no fish now. My heater messed up and cooked the previous occupant. Ughhhh :!: I was thinkin...3 Yellow Tails and a mix of 3 other Damnsels. What would you suggest?

 

[sslarison]

Its gonna be a war zone.

 

[dwall174]

I have several extra tanks just laying around & was thinking of doing the same thing! I always liked the three spot domino damsels & I have read they will even host in some anemones? I had one several years ago that was a total pain in the @$$. I have a Fiji Blue devil that I had to remove because he killed my yellow tang! He’s in the fuge now, but I want to get him out of there so he doesn’t eat all my pods.

 

[Anonymous]

Gorgeous color in blue damsels...too bad they are so scrappy.

 

[ricky1414]

I've got a damsel tank in my kitchen. Too bad it's got a garbage disposal at the bottom of it. :twisted: Just kidding. I agree that damsels have some really nice colors, as well as being hardy. I just can't stand the fact that they cannot get along with anything.

 

[Anonymous]

For some reason there is a persistent myth that ALL damsels are bad. Chrysiptera parasema is a beautiful little fish that stays small, peaceful, and can be kept in groups in a tank your size. I wouldn't house them with passive fish like firefish or flasher wrasses, but they will get along fine with clowns, dwarf angels, orchid dottybacks, assessors, chromis, etc. A shoal of 3-4 of these along with a shoal of 8-10 Chromis retrofasciata would look great!

Just make sure you're getting the correct species...

C. parasema

C. retrofasciata

 

[Anonymous]

I am goin with the Yellow Tails...and some creepy crawlies like shrimp,crabs,starfish,and snails.

 

[Baianotang]

nice

 

[skylsdale]

When I set up another reef tank, it's probably going to be based on a coral head/bommie and a handful of 3-striped damsels. Something inspired by this type of scene in the wild:

And all those folks who can't stand damsels...you'd better shy away from diving/snorkeling in the tropics, because you're going to see them EVERYWHERE.

 

[Fozza]

I'd love to do something similar to that scene.

Damsels are lovely looking fish, even if they are nasty little buggers.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd love to do something similar to that scene.

Damsels are lovely looking fish, even if they are nasty little buggers.

They AREN'T necessarily nasty little buggers! It's such an ill-deserved reputation. Some of them make great additions to a reef tank. I wouldn't really include three stripe or domino damsels in that group though :?

 

[dwall174]

And all those folks who can't stand damsels...you'd better shy away from diving/snorkeling in the tropics, because you're going to see them EVERYWHERE.

That would be cool! 8)
A couple friends of mine were diving several years ago & said that they came across a school of 4”~5” domino damsels that actually were picking at their wetsuits. They said it was neat to watch because they could tell the damsels were just trying to keep them out of their territory! Once they moved out of the area the damsels would leave them alone! But as soon as they would get within about 20’~30’ feet of their area they would come back & try to chase them away.

 

[Steven]

There's your answer. A school of Domino Damsels in a 30 ft. tank should get along!

 

[Fozza]

They AREN'T necessarily nasty little buggers! It's such an ill-deserved reputation. Some of them make great additions to a reef tank. I wouldn't really include three stripe or domino damsels in that group though :?

Most of them are nasty little buggers, thus I stand by the comment. Its a select few that aren't, and even they can be.

 

[Anonymous]

That C. retrofasciata is pretty nice... haven't seen it in a store yet though...

 

[Anonymous]

They AREN'T necessarily nasty little buggers! It's such an ill-deserved reputation. Some of them make great additions to a reef tank. I wouldn't really include three stripe or domino damsels in that group though :?

Most of them are nasty little buggers, thus I stand by the comment. Its a select few that aren't, and even they can be.

I agree with Matt. An ill deserved reputation fostered by those without experience keeping most species. I've kept MANY species of damsels over the years, and some to make great additions to reef tanks. The chrysiptera and chromis damsels come to mind. Not all are as nasty as the dascylus genus, and even these can be kept in pairs. As for keeping a damsel tank, many combinations are possible.
As with keeping mbuna cichlids, the object isn't to achieve a serene comminity where no fish ever nips at another. The object is to manage the aggression.

Jim

 

[Fozza]

I have plenty of experience keeping damsels thanks, 15 years is enough. And I still say they are nasty little buggers.

As I think off the top of my head, I've kept

Blue Devil Damsel
Sergeant Major
Yellow-tail Damsel
Blue Chromis
Green Chromis
Humbug Damsel
Four-striped Humbug
Domino Damsel
Jewel Damsel
Neon Damsel

There's others I can't think of right now.

Every single one of them showed aggression to other tank mates, except the chromis. Even to larger fish such as Tangs. In some cases enough to cause death! Theres Dascyllus and Chrysiptera species listed there.

They can ALL! make good additions to reef tanks, if selection of their tank mates are carefully considered. Now given the Chrysiptera damsels are less prone to cause serious damage, but they are prone to acts of aggression.

As with everything in this hobby, careful selection is the key.

 

[Anonymous]

Never had any trouble with chromis, but the domino and yellowtails I've had were big trouble.

 

[Anonymous]

Strangely, I find the striped dascyllus damsels to be among the biggest heartbreakers of the hobby. I would LOVE to have a 120 gallon tank with a group of 12 so. Just isn't possible though.

Jim

 

[Anonymous]

www.liveaquaria.com sells C. retrofasciata. It only gets 2" long--pretty sure it's the smallest of the Chromis genus.