DAMSELS in distress!!! What say you?

[Glenner’sreef]

“On one hand”
Damsels have great variety, great colors and they’re fun to watch!

“On the other hand”
Damsels grow up, bite, chase and harass each other.
1. Are the Damsels you’re buying worth the time and trouble???

Just bought this little 1/2” striped damsel for my frag tank.

 

[Sean Clark]

What's a damsel like you doing in a tank like this?

 

[Waters]

I think it depends on the species and surrounding livestock. I added a group of CB Azure Damsels that have showed 0 aggression so far (have had them 6 months). They do quarrel within their group but that is to be expected.

 

[threebuoys]

Some damsels can be highly aggressive.

I have a three stripe and 3 yellow tail blue damsels in my tank. They attack my arm whenever I put my hand in the tank. If they are not afraid of me, they certainly are not afraid of any thing in the tank! Luckily, while they occasionally chase each other and some of the other fish in the tank, they don't seem to cause any harm.

On the other hand, I have two dominos I had to remove from the tank because of their violence. In addition to attacking me, they were fearless of anything else in the tank. Sad, because the two are large and beautiful and have personality. They regularly do the mating dance where they turn almost white. They are in isolation now until I decide what to do with them.

 

[nereefpat]

Those in the genus Chrysiptera are worth the time and trouble. They are pretty, cheap, and about as peaceful as clowns and cardinals.

3/4 stripe and Domino may have their place, but I would avoid them for a reef tank.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Full grown Dominos and Full grown Three-Stripes can rule a 200 gallon tank! Love the Azures, though. Great even in a 20 gallon.

 

[A Young Reefer]

In my experience azures are the most peaceful of all.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I might give the Azure Damsels a try. My go to damsels in the past have been Chromis. But once they reach a certain age and size they were quite aggressive.

 

[nereefpat]

I might give the Azure Damsels a try.

Or yellowtails, Springer's, or Talbot.

 

[vtecintegra]

I fell for a "peaceful" damsel and spent the next three months trying to outsmart it to get it out. It patrolled the entire tank looking for others to harass when it wasn't sleeping.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I fell for a "peaceful" damsel and spent the next three months trying to outsmart it to get it out. It patrolled the entire tank looking for others to harass when it wasn't sleeping.

Been there! Feel your pain.

 

[nereefpat]

I fell for a "peaceful" damsel and spent the next three months trying to outsmart it to get it out. It patrolled the entire tank looking for others to harass when it wasn't sleeping.

What species of damsel?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Not very common at the LFSs, but try to find a “Psychopathic Murderous Rampage Devil-Incarnate” Damsel. Just don’t let the name scare you off— they are pussycats. {Wink}

 

[dvgyfresh]

I love damsels , have a lot of personality I haven’t seen the super aggression yet. Maybe I have enough to disperse it?
4 domino damsels
1 white strip damsel
2 clownfish

 

[vtecintegra]

What species of damsel?

Roland's

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I may trade the young Striped Damsel in when it gets older for a younger one. We’ll see.

 

[Jcar]

Have a yellow tail in my reef tank. He hasn't really harassed anyone yet and has been in for a year. He does purposely bury a few frags on the sand bed every day while I sit there and watch. Overall decent community fish, he definitely isn't the boss though so that may be why

 

[ninjamyst]

Have two Talbots in my 75 and plan to get 5 more for my 200. Great colors, active swimmers, chases each other around for fun and not blood.

 

[McPuff]

Azures are "peaceful" but not to each other. I have 3 in my 300DD and they keep their distance. It's possible there is a pair. When I added a 4th, they almost killed it... twice. I had to move him to my lagoon. They will also bite me whenever I put my hand anywhere near their territory. Same with the half black damsel... that one is the smaller fish in my tank but it chases other fish a fair amount.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Azures are "peaceful" but not to each other. I have 3 in my 300DD and they keep their distance. It's possible there is a pair. When I added a 4th, they almost killed it... twice. I had to move him to my lagoon. They will also bite me whenever I put my hand anywhere near their territory. Same with the half black damsel... that one is the smaller fish in my tank but it chases other fish a fair amount.

I went through that with 5 black scissor tail damsels. Just fought with each other. Thx