Blue velvet damsel digging

introvert.invert_hba · Dec 18, 2022

Hi!! I’ve had my damsel since June 2022 and overnight it has adapted a digging behavior in its preferred corner of the tank. Curious if anyone has any insight to this behavior and if it is a nesting behavior or trait related to males or females! here is a video of my damsel!
Furthermore, my female emerald crab discovered the hole and the damsel pushed her out. Definitely territorial of its “nest.”
I used to have a diamond watchmen goby that obviously dug a lot, but haven’t had one since the emerald crab is a grade A ******* and contributed to the death of goby 1 and replacement goby. Anywho.
Thanks for your interest in responding to this post!!
hunter

Jay Hemdal · Dec 18, 2022

introvert.invert_hba said:
Hi!! I’ve had my damsel since June 2022 and overnight it has adapted a digging behavior in its preferred corner of the tank. Curious if anyone has any insight to this behavior and if it is a nesting behavior or trait related to males or females! here is a video of my damsel!
Furthermore, my female emerald crab discovered the hole and the damsel pushed her out. Definitely territorial of its “nest.”
I used to have a diamond watchmen goby that obviously dug a lot, but haven’t had one since the emerald crab is a grade A ******* and contributed to the death of goby 1 and replacement goby. Anywho.
Thanks for your interest in responding to this post!!
hunter

Probably territorial behavior as this fish still has juvenile coloration so is too young to be reproductive.
These are pretty fish when small but are SO mean…..
Jay

dedragon · Dec 18, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
These are pretty fish when small but are SO mean…..
Jay

Then they get older, meaner, and a pretty bland brown black color. They also need larger tanks than most damselfish at around 30 minimum. This is just the start of territorial behavior, and if you thought an emerald crab was an a--hole get ready for what this guy will do. Will probably bite your hand when you try to put it into the tank as well

introvert.invert_hba · Dec 18, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
Probably territorial behavior as this fish still has juvenile coloration so is too young to be reproductive.
These are pretty fish when small but are SO mean…..
Jay

Thanks! This fish did bully the goby I had. But so did the crab. Lol

introvert.invert_hba · Dec 18, 2022

dedragon said:
Then they get older, meaner, and a pretty bland brown black color. They also need larger tanks than most damselfish at around 30 minimum. This is just the start of territorial behavior, and if you thought an emerald crab was an a--hole get ready for what this guy will do. Will probably bite your hand when you try to put it into the tank as well

Thanks! So far it is scared of my feeding pipette. For now. It is a very charismatic though!

1ocean · Dec 18, 2022

I have one for over a year and it grew to about 2 inch body length and is very comfortable in my 300 and does not bother any fish or my hand when I clean the tank glass.

i cant think · Dec 18, 2022

introvert.invert_hba said:
Hi!! I’ve had my damsel since June 2022 and overnight it has adapted a digging behavior in its preferred corner of the tank. Curious if anyone has any insight to this behavior and if it is a nesting behavior or trait related to males or females! here is a video of my damsel!
Furthermore, my female emerald crab discovered the hole and the damsel pushed her out. Definitely territorial of its “nest.”
I used to have a diamond watchmen goby that obviously dug a lot, but haven’t had one since the emerald crab is a grade A ******* and contributed to the death of goby 1 and replacement goby. Anywho.
Thanks for your interest in responding to this post!!
hunter

I wish you luck in the future…
My old one can be seen above my yumas in

In a way, I luckily ‘got rid’ of him (I accidentally froze him as I didn’t think the temperature would get so low over night - it had been 30+ degrees C in the day).
But yes, this is territorial behaviour. Mine did this as a juvenile however once he aged, he got nastier and really did start getting territorial. It got to a point he owned the whole of the left side of the tank (until my scopas came along and decided enough was enough and he wanted territory there).