Damsel nipping other Damsel

[rooneyj889]

Hey all, I currently have 2 Kupang damsels in my 75 gallon tank along with 2 clownfish. I originally had 1 damsel for about a week but i just added another one yesterday and it has gone horrible. The old damsel is bullying the new damsel incessantly and nipping at his tail, which has obvious nip marks on it. Please help! He seemed totally fine when it was the two clowns and they got along beautifully but now this happened. Should i just bring them back?

 

[Bored_shrimp]

From what I know damsels are somewhat of an aggressive fish toward their own species, just like with any fish though you can either take one or both back, but they are a schooling fish I'm pretty sure. So I would either if you don't want to deal with it take both back, or you could also get more to dilute the aggression. I would recommend getting more cause they are quite a pretty fish. I would get some, but I'm just not up for the aggression problems they can have. If you get more though, try and take the two out of the tank and separate them while acclimating the others if you get more, then add them all at the same time, there will still be aggression and they'll have to establish a pecking order which many fish do. After they do that, aggression will calm a bit but will still happen, just it will be diluted and not nearly as bad with just a singular fish always getting beat up. I also say remove the two so that territories have to be reestablished and the new ones have an easier time. This is what I think though, maybe see if you can get someone else to chime in too. They might have something better.

 

[ca1ore]

Azure damsels (indeed, all damsels) are best kept either singly or in a group. Adding a single newcomer to an established individual isn't really a great idea. Aggression may pass and the new fish will be fine …. or it may not.

 

[mattzang]

i tried adding an azure to a well established springers damsel and the azure was gonna be dead within a couple hours so i netted him out and sumped him. adding 1 to 1 like others mentioned just isn't ideal

i added the same two fish to my tank months later and they don't even notice or chase each other

worth mentioning while i'm a big damsel fan, starting your tank with a couple damsels might not be ideal. mine mostly leave stuff alone, but ideally i think you wait until later in the stocking to add some chrysipteras

 

[rooneyj889]

Should I bring the damsels back? I'll try and post a video i took of the bullying but one damsel basically hides in the corner and the other damsel comes over and bullies and nips at him all the time. Thinking of bringing them both back today and trading for something else. Thanks!

 

[rooneyj889]

Here is a link to a video of said bullying and aggression. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[mattzang]

i'd at least try to catch the one being bullied, but if your tank is new and you can catch both that'd be what i'd do. then just get an azure later on once you've added whatever smaller peaceful fish. or you could sump the aggressor. mine lived in my sump for months

the rule i've seen (that i didn't abide by) is either dump them all in at the same time or add more than you currently have. it's surprising, but one week was probably enough time for the one damsel to get comfy and decide that was his tank, then you dumped one in there. i tried this in a 50g. when i got a 100g i introduced both damsels at the same time and they've been totally fine, like no chasing or nipping at all

 

[Zionas]

I have to agree with the responses that generally speaking, if you’re going to have more than one Damsel of the same species add them at the same time. Once the first one to go in has established its territory it may not welcome a conspecific. And unless you’re going for an aggressive or semi-aggressive tank which IMO will limit your stocking options overall, stick to C. parasema, C. hemicyanea, C. springeri, C. talboti, C. rollandi, maybe C. starcki and a couple others too. Avoid C. cyanea (yes they’re pretty and I have thought about them but then decided didn’t want to risk it), C. taupou (very beautiful though so it’s temperament is a pity).