Damselfish-only 20 gallon?

[cosmicbread]

I have a 20 gallon long that I've been researching possible fish inhabitants for. It has a rock boring urchin and a rock flower nem at the moment, as well as one shy mantis shrimp who stays in her hole (a smaller species, maybe viridis). I would like to add a few more rock flower nems, but the tank is packed full of copepods and some flatworms at the moment...and I would really like to get a fish in there to keep that in check.

If it was damselfish only, would 1-3 of the Azure (Chrysiptera hemicyanea) or yellow tails (Chrysiptera parasema) be too many? If damsels, I would keep it a species-only tank. Do damsels actively hunt for pods? Are they gonna fight with each other?

If I can't do a damselfish-only habitat in a 20 gallon, is there a mixture of small, active fish that would be OK with the rock flowers?

 

[RJKain-777]

You’d be fine with 3 damsel fish, azure, talbot etc would all be good.

 

[cosmicbread]

Thanks. I think I'll probably end up with either a neon goby and a yellow clown goby, or maybe just get another pink streaked wrasse since I really love the one in my bigger tank. Damsels probably are too active for a 20.

 

[PatW]

Thanks. I think I'll probably end up with either a neon goby and a yellow clown goby, or maybe just get another pink streaked wrasse since I really love the one in my bigger tank. Damsels probably are too active for a 20.

Damsels are pretty frenetic. The smaller the tank, the more aggressive the fish. So I would think that any damsel in a 20 gallon would be a risk. But timorous fish like a neon goby should do fine in a 20 gallon. A fire fish should be good too and maybe a Bengai cardinal. Just think small and peaceful fish.

 

[Jib]

But timorous fish like a neon goby should do fine in a 20 gallon. A fire fish should be good too and maybe a Bengai cardinal. Just think small and peaceful fish.

Wouldn't these small and peaceful fish be easy snacks for the mantis shrimp?

 

[ichthyogeek]

^^Agreed.