Multiple Yellow Tail Damsels

[sbash]

Hello all and happy Friday!

I have a single Yellow Tail Damsel, and have had for several years. I recently decided that I really like this fish. It is small, not very aggressive and looks neat. I have seen many pictures tanks which have several of these little guys. Has anyone out there had success adding more to an environment that already has one?

I only have a few fish in my 220G:

Fusi Goby
2 Clowns (Ocellaris)
Chromis
Yellow Tail Damsel
Lyrtail Anthias Pair
Kole Tang
Foxface

I just want to add two more for now. As a reference, my future stocking plan involved at lease another tang, three more anthias and maybe a couple cardinals (all subject to availability and water column space).

 

[Jmas4]

I would advise not getting it but since it is a 220 gallon idk. I think 3 might work. The multiple cardinals however will be difficult. Most cardinals pair and try to kill the rest. But like I said it is a huge tank. But I think you should only get a pair of cardinals

 

[sbash]

I would advise not getting it but since it is a 220 gallon idk. I think 3 might work. The multiple cardinals however will be difficult. Most cardinals pair and try to kill the rest. But like I said it is a huge tank. But I think you should only get a pair of cardinals

My query is more about the yellow tail damsels, not the cardinals... I also suspect three would be fine, however, I do not want to buy fish just to have them die off. Thanks for your input!

And yes I concur about the cardinals, which is why I said a 'couple cardinals'.

Maybe I will post this up in the large aquarium section, see where that takes me

 

[46gReef]

I had 3 in my 46, over the course of a few weeks the dominant one beat the others to death. That seems to happen regularly in tanks that are less than 100 gallons from what I've seen/heard.

 

[sbash]

I had 3 in my 46, over the course of a few weeks the dominant one beat the others to death. That seems to happen regularly in tanks that are less than 100 gallons from what I've seen/heard.

That is what I am afraid of. I posted up in the large aquariums section, we will see how that goes. Thanks!

 

[46gReef]

In a tank that size I think you have as good a shot as possible.

 

[mrtian97]

I have 9'fish in my 120 gallon tanks, and have 5 yellow tail damsels. they are doing fine

 

[sbash]

I have 9'fish in my 120 gallon tanks, and have 5 yellow tail damsels. they are doing fine

That is great! How long have they been living together? Did you have to add the damsels in last?

 

[mrtian97]

They been living together for at least 1 yr, I have them in my tank for 5 months, came with the used tank that I bought.
I added them in middle, afterwards I added 3 more fishes (larger Tomini, clown and flame angel).
With a big school, they don't fight, the boss in the tank is the flame angel, but he picks on every except the Tomini, therefore the agression is sort of dispersed to 6-7 fishes and not hurting 1 fish. They all eat like pigs and the flame angel actually always behind in eating, he is not as fast as the others. I have yellow tang, tomini, clown, flame angel and 5 yt damsels

 

[eatbreakfast]

I don't foresee an issue with adding wo more yellow tails. They don't claim very big territories, so your tank provides plenty of space for each of them to claim their own.

As far as cardinals(though not the purpose of this thread), it varies from species to species whether they would prefer to be in prs(bangaii), or groups(blue eyes), or either(pj's).

 

[sbash]

I don't foresee an issue with adding wo more yellow tails. They don't claim very big territories, so your tank provides plenty of space for each of them to claim their own.

As far as cardinals(though not the purpose of this thread), it varies from species to species whether they would prefer to be in prs(bangaii), or groups(blue eyes), or either(pj's).

Oh I see... I will be aiming for a pair of either bangaii or pajama. Even then, I rarely see pajamas so I will likely be going with bangaii... Thanks for your input!

 

[sbash]

Funny, one of my LFS just got in a big order of the Blue Eyes (they call them Threadfin)... I might go with a handful of them instead and drop the whole idea of more damsels... I really do not like the idea of getting fish with such a risk of them killing each other off...