OK... I know they have a reputation for not playing nice with others... Right now my tank is stocked almost exclusively with damselfish... I've never observed any aggression - so I figured I had a bunch that were raised right by their momma... Today I come home from work and see this...
Damsels are mean!!!
- Thread starter BigMack
- Start date
- Tagged users None
JoshH
Tank Status: Wet...ish, growing things....
I'm of the mind that any fish that has absolutely no qualms about attacking something 1000 times bigger than them is a fish that needs to be kept in limited supply in your tank 
I'll be getting a couple clowns for my new build but that's my cap, they can get real nasty.
I'll be getting a couple clowns for my new build but that's my cap, they can get real nasty.
redfishbluefish
Stay Positive, Stay Productive
Staff member
Super Moderator
Reef Squad
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Article Contributor
NJRC Member
Hospitality Award
Damsels are devil fish. The only damsels I will keep now are clown fish. Otherwise, they are off my list. When I was a noob, and didn't know better, I purchased a Blue Velvet damsel.....pretty fish. I see that's one damsel you have. After my guy killed three fish, he was removed and put into the witness protect program. Felt good giving that fish away.
I love my Springer's and starkii! They are way less aggressive than my percula pair.
You got some real meanies in there though. It amazes me that it was able to eat a cleaner shrimp!
You got some real meanies in there though. It amazes me that it was able to eat a cleaner shrimp!
It doesn't help that you have some of the meanest damsels out there but I wouldn't jump straight to the conclusion it killed the shrimp. Often shrimp die and are simply being cleaned up by their tankmates. It doesn't take much to have a bad moult or for the offending fish to simply be swimming around with some shed exoskeleton.
GatorScott
Well-Known Member
Yep, I hate damsels. Had them once in the hobby, they were so mean I went thru the trouble of taking all my rock out just to catch them and took them back to the LFS lol. Never again would I buy damsels
FishyDP
Active Member
Ime damsels get nastier as they grow and mature. If you have kept african cichlids, mbunas specifically, it is a very similar process..they are fun to watch as juveniles, then get mature and violence follows. Similarly, there are more and less aggressive types of damsels as with cichlids. I have only kept yellow tails and azure, as EVERY local fish store I have been to warns against black and white damsels because of aggression. It is too bad because they are really nice looking, reasonably priced fish, imo.
GoldeneyeRet
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2016
- Messages
- 3,079
- Reaction score
- 11,184
I love damsels! Mine arent mean at all. Well, my clowns are a little mean, but the rest are not.
Damsels are a large and diverse group of fish. Painting them all with a broad brush and eliminating all of them from consideration is a mistake, IMO. By doing so you overlook many peaceful, interesting, hardy and beautiful fish.
I have about 20 damsels in my tank and Iove them!
Damsels are a large and diverse group of fish. Painting them all with a broad brush and eliminating all of them from consideration is a mistake, IMO. By doing so you overlook many peaceful, interesting, hardy and beautiful fish.
I have about 20 damsels in my tank and Iove them!
U
User1
Guest
Just depends on how the tank is set up and what damsels you keep. This is true with non damsel fish as well. Onus is on the hobbyist to stock the right fish.
Tiger Brown
Well-Known Member
I agree with Goldeneye and saf1, they are beautiful, hardy, and highly active fish. I have 5 damsels and two clowns currently. They do chase each other around at times but I haven't noticed any nipping at all. I have two cleaner shrimp that they ignore. I will say I would never buy a blue devil damsel or a domino but not all damsels are mean.
mightieskeeper
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2017
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 12
I have 3 yellow damsels and a coral beauty. The damsels chase each other around. It is just like watching my cichlid tanks.
Katrina71
Learn, Laugh, Love
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2017
- Messages
- 37,351
- Reaction score
- 211,006
My son has this...Angus. The most docile fish in his tank. His watchman is a beast! This fella was in a 5g tank at the lfs for a year. We all know why. He actually rubs my son's hand. It appears to be genuine affection.
