Fusilier damsels

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 21, 2018

Haydn said:
You guys are incredibly lucky, I sourced some about 10 years ago, stunning fish, I then had a heart attack and lost them when the tank crashed. I have been trying to source them for more for the last 7 years. They are just not imported into the UK- I have tried ordering them from various outlets and from the main UK imported with no luck.
I had 10 as a shoal (and they did shoal) here's a picture of one of them

Nice picture!.

How did your fusilier damsels behave with other fish? Tell me more about keeping a group of them!

I'm hoping to source a larger group, but that is difficult. Anyone know when the "in" season is for these?

eatbreakfast · Jun 21, 2018

GoldeneyeRet said:
Nice picture!.

How did your fusilier damsels behave with other fish? Tell me more about keeping a group of them!

I'm hoping to source a larger group, but that is difficult. Anyone know when the "in" season is for these?

They are almost always available from Australian shipments, as long as they are ordered by a supplier.

Their behavior and activity is comparable to green chromis or hardy anthias. They don't seem to pick each other off though.

Haydn · Jun 22, 2018

GoldeneyeRet said:
Nice picture!.

How did your fusilier damsels behave with other fish? Tell me more about keeping a group of them!

I'm hoping to source a larger group, but that is difficult. Anyone know when the "in" season is for these?

I had 10 in a 2000l tank. They model citizens never bothered anything, ate anything I put in, from frozen to flake, they did need heavy feeding (like any active open water fish), I am not sure if they change sex but I recall I had 2-3 more colourful males. I never saw any intergroup aggression apart from a bit of flicking and showing among the males. I can't remember but I don't think I lost one until the tank crashed.

eatbreakfast said:
They are almost always available from Australian shipments, as long as they are ordered by a supplier.

Unfortunately not in the UK

They don't even appear on the shipping lists.

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 22, 2018

Thanks for all the info!

ca1ore · Jun 22, 2018

....... buy me ....... buy me ...... buy meeeeeeeeeeeee ......

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 22, 2018

I have been hearing voices saying that all week ca1ore!

ca1ore · Jun 22, 2018

Oh right, sorry. Don't buy them because ....... well, just because! They do look very cool though ..... I mean, not cool at all.

User1 · Jun 30, 2018

Looks like there is only a single left. Wonder if that is a new fella and the other three sold or two passed and only one is left. Hope it is the former that the original three sold and this is a single.

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 30, 2018

The single was listed while the trio was still there so I'm assuming they are not.the same fish.

4FordFamily · Jun 30, 2018

GoldeneyeRet said:
A trio still on DD, talk me out of them!

Do it!

Jposch · Jan 24, 2023

Just to feed the search algorithm, 100% recommend these as a shoal. Everything @eatbreakfast and others said is true. They do shoal up, they should be fed 2+ times a day, and they are completely docile to others, and inter-species aggression is very light. No picking off the weakest member of the group. Quite hardy. I've seen them available from a Phillipines exporter before. The list looks like a consolidation of fiah collected from a few places. They also had gobiodon Okinawa which afaik only come feom japan. The damsels are Ubiquitous in the wild, but rarely seen in the aquarium industry. I can imagine net catching them is quite a task. Ha they are like little 2" torpedoes that can move very fast.
I lost the 2 I had, but just placed an order for 10. I watch for them every week in the local w/s list. He gets them in once or twice a year. I'd have to check my paperwork from the last time, but I believe it was about Jan/Feb 2021 last I saw them.

Jposch · Jun 6, 2023

@eatbreakfast any idea on average lifespan for these? Seems I can only get a year or so out of them. Has happened with 2 batches of a few each time. Everything QT'd, low stocking density, very well established tank, etc.
No symptoms. They just disappeared one at a time. No aggression from them or towards them.

nereefpat · Jun 6, 2023

Jposch said:
@eatbreakfast any idea on average lifespan for these? Seems I can only get a year or so out of them. Has happened with 2 batches of a few each time. Everything QT'd, low stocking density, very well established tank, etc.
No symptoms. They just disappeared one at a time. No aggression from them or towards them.

Eatbreakfast was awesome, but I think he is gone...at least from this site.

Jposch · Jun 6, 2023

nereefpat said:
Eatbreakfast was awesome, but I think he is gone...at least from this site.

Ok, thanks. I'll reach him elsewhere. I appreciate the reply. I try to reply to EXISTING threads and not start a new knew on every forum and social media. Lol
Seems to be the norm These days.