Damsela

MonsterReef · Jun 8, 2016

I acquired for black damsels with two white dots are they aggressive and are they reef safe

cloak · Jun 8, 2016

I'm assuming you mean Domino damsels? These are reef safe IME, but they're one of the most aggressive fish you could have in a reef tank. The color also becomes kind of drab as they get bigger.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+28+102&pcatid=102

4FordFamily · Jun 8, 2016

cloak said:
I'm assuming you mean Domino damsels? These are reef safe IME, but they're one of the most aggressive fish you could have in a reef tank. The color also becomes kind of drab as they get bigger.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+28+102&pcatid=102

X2 I advise against keeping them heavily. I (and many experienced reefers) are probably overly prejudiced against them although IMO it is warranted.

Humblefish · Jun 8, 2016

^^I agree. Unless you are planning on these being your only fish and/or enjoy fish "battle royals".

Tahoe61 · Jun 8, 2016

FYI they will reside in anemones. I kept mine with Haddoni Anemones.

A little story of how aggressive they are. I was diving at 80 ft in the S. Pacific, my buoyancy device straps started to fail causing my tank to float above my head. The group of divers got a head of me and there was strong current. My only choice was to grab a rock and try to tie my straps back together with one hand. The rock I grabbed was also home to a Domino Damsel, that Damsel did not care I was in serious trouble, he/she bit my hand until I had numerous bloody wounds on my hand. No way was that fish going to cut me some slack.....:mad:

Humblefish · Jun 8, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
FYI they will reside in anemones. I kept mine with Haddoni Anemones.

A little story of how aggressive they are. I was diving at 80 ft in the S. Pacific, my buoyancy device straps started to fail causing my tank to float above my head. The group of divers got a head of me and there was strong current. My only choice was to grab a rock and try to tie my straps back together with one hand. The rock I grabbed was also home to a Domino Damsel, that Damsel did not care I was in serious trouble, he/she bit my hand until I had numerous bloody wounds on my hand. No way was that fish going to cut me some slack.....:mad:

Wow

, that rock was like an underwater hornet's nest. I've been run off a reef by a school of aggressive Sergeant Major Damsels but no blood drawn.

Tahoe61 · Jun 8, 2016

Humblefish said:
Wow , that rock was like an underwater hornet's nest. I've been run off a reef by a school of aggressive Sergeant Major Damsels but no blood drawn.

Lol, yup I was in dire straits, nothing like blood in the water to attract sharks.

Domino get large as well and they lose the black and white contrast and turn kind of an ugly grey coloration as mature adults.

4FordFamily · Jun 9, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
FYI they will reside in anemones. I kept mine with Haddoni Anemones.

A little story of how aggressive they are. I was diving at 80 ft in the S. Pacific, my buoyancy device straps started to fail causing my tank to float above my head. The group of divers got a head of me and there was strong current. My only choice was to grab a rock and try to tie my straps back together with one hand. The rock I grabbed was also home to a Domino Damsel, that Damsel did not care I was in serious trouble, he/she bit my hand until I had numerous bloody wounds on my hand. No way was that fish going to cut me some slack.....:mad:

Wow that's serious stuff right there