Damselville....input wanted.

[GoldeneyeRet]

My incoming build is 90x24x24. I am considering stocking a lot of chyrsitpera damsels. I have been following ca1ore as he has added a ton of yellow tails and I love it.

I am thinking a group of azure along with others such as tricincta, Talbot etc. I am wondering if I should plan on the "others" being singles, pairs, small groups or larger groups similar in size to the azures.

I am currently thinking a bunch of azure with singles of the others.

I also wonder how my smaller fishes such as darts, firefish, assessors may fare with this much commotion.

Any advice on doing this or any links etc yo builds where this has been done.

Thanks r2r!

 

[4FordFamily]

My incoming build is 90x24x24. I am considering stocking a lot of chyrsitpera damsels. I have been following ca1ore as he has added a ton of yellow tails and I love it.

I am thinking a group of azure along with others such as tricincta, Talbot etc. I am wondering if I should plan on the "others" being singles, pairs, small groups or larger groups similar in size to the azures.

I am currently thinking a bunch of azure with singles of the others.

I also wonder how my smaller fishes such as darts, firefish, assessors may fare with this much commotion.

Any advice on doing this or any links etc yo builds where this has been done.

Thanks r2r!

I would avoid dartfish and especially firefish with that type of aggression.

You may be able to pull off small groups of dottybacks I’ve anecdotally heard that they do best singly but can be kept in groups of 5+. I’ve never tried it but it’d be pretty cool.

I imagine you’d want 5 of the same kind because dotty vary quite a bit in aggression levels one species would probably target another.

I don’t have much else for you, I avoid damsels like the plague.

 

[ca1ore]

I, on the other hand, really like the chrysiptera damsels and always keep a few. In my current 450 I have approximately 30 yellow tails with a further 7 azures in QT. I'd consider randalls, talbots and/or Tracey's if I could find them. I have had all sorts of problems with the larger, more aggressive damsels like three strip or domino, but never any issues with the chrysiptera. I do, however, tend to avoid really wimpy fish, so tangs, Angels, larger pseudoanthias, wrasses, etc.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Ca1ore, I live your tank and follow it closely.

If you were to add different chrysiptera species such as talbots to your yellowtails would you add them in larger groups?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would suggest adding at least a handful of damsels at a time when adding to an established group, just to diffuse and break up any established territory and aggression.

When I've kept Chrysiptera in groups they always focused on each other rather than other fish.

Btw, keep on the lookout for C. arnazae, it's my favorite.

 

[ca1ore]

Ca1ore, I live your tank and follow it closely.

If you were to add different chrysiptera species such as talbots to your yellowtails would you add them in larger groups?

Most definately! Five minimum, ideally 7-10. Maybe not practical with something like Tracey's, but most are sub $10.

 

[ca1ore]

Btw, keep on the lookout for C. arnazae, it's my favorite.

Do tell! Even Professor Google doesn't know LOL

 

[eatbreakfast]

https://reefbuilders.com/2010/05/04/chrysiptera-arnazae-cf-parasema-has-been-officiall/

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I'm getting excited for this build!

Thanks for the input, keep it coming!

Btw, any chrysiptera that should be avoided?

 

[ca1ore]

Thanks, turned out I just botched the spelling.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Rollands, blue sapphire/ Springer and Talbot damsels are some of my favourites. The Talbot would add variety to a damsel group as they seem to excavate caves in the sand and rock work and stay close to their bolt holes

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I was wondering about rolland, I don't know much about them, thanks

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Damsel wish list is growing fast lol. Doing the math, groups of a dozen will be too many!

Are groups of 7-8 large enough?

 

[Larry L]

I have a few each of Kupangs (C. hemicyanea), Talbot's, and Black Bar Chromis (C. retrofasciata) in a 70 gallon display, they seem to all get along well enough. Just make sure to set up your rockwork so there are visually distinct sections they can claim as territories. They also seem to like having holes they can dart into, and hanging out in between the branches of vertically branching Acros or Montis.

 

[Maritimer]

I've got a trio of azures, a pair (well... two, anyway) Talbot's damsels and a trio of young Rolland's in a 220. They pretty much keep their tiffing to themselves, which provides lots of movement and sparkle. There are also four (one old, three new) zebra dartfish in the tank, and though I nearly never see the old one, I don't think it's due to damsel aggression, and the new ones are out in the water column all the time.

The damsels do behave as groups, and interact most intensely with their own species.

~Bruce

 

[Triggreef]

What about the fiji blue devils? I've had a couple, though never a group, but they seem to keep to themselves a little more than most damsels I've had. They keep their colors as they get older and don't get very large one. Other than those I'm a damsel avoided. But I can see wrasses, tangs, royal gramma, neon dottybacks, orchids, Springeri dottys all going well in a tank like that. Could also try blennies like lined or komohara as well.

 

[eatbreakfast]

What about the fiji blue devils? I've had a couple, though never a group, but they seem to keep to themselves a little more than most damsels I've had. They keep their colors as they get older and don't get very large one. Other than those I'm a damsel avoided. But I can see wrasses, tangs, royal gramma, neon dottybacks, orchids, Springeri dottys all going well in a tank like that. Could also try blennies like lined or komohara as well.

I've found Fiji blue devils to be a little more aggressive than some of the previously discussed Chrysiptera species.