Aggressive blue damsel.

[Taxman20]

So, I bought this running 75g system a short time ago. Maybe 2 months back. It had 2 blue damsels and a clown. Ive added a yellow tang and flame angel.

One of the damsels has dug iut a hole under a rock which is fine with me. The other damsel hangs out in the back corner of the tank behind the heater. The agressive one will taunt the hiding one. It also chases the hiding one. Kinda sad really. This just started in about the last week to 2 weeks. I thought he would calm down but he hasnt.

Whats cool though, is the other fish will hang out near or on the side of the tank with the scared damsel. If the mean one comes over, they will push uim away and protect the scared damsel. Thats nice but I dont like aggressive fish in the system. They need to get along.

Anyone know a reason for this change in him? Its not like they are new to each other. So I want to remove it and take him to my LFS. I might try the food in the net trick and hope to get lucky.

Oh, hes also aggressive to me when trying to work in the tank. He nips my hand and arm and will also attack the small net when I need to use it. I use the net to block the clown when I am working because he likes to hit me too, and he hits much harder. The damsel doesn't bother me, but he is mean.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Damsels are just aggressive in nature. You could try to get him out and sump him for a bit but his behavior will probably return. This is just the pecking order in nature.

 

[Taxman20]

Yea, I know they can be and its their trait. But I dont like the one living in fear all day. And the aggressive one seems overly so. I prefer to get rid of this one and have a peaceful environment.

 

[mort]

Is your damsel chrysiptera cyanea? If so they are mean and even if you get rid of the aggressive one you will likely see the other turn aggressive once it's not being dominated. I'd personally catch them both and swap them for another species like chrysiptera hemicyanea.
Damsels can be kept in pairs or groups if you get them small enough for sex change to occur. I myself have several pairs that all breed near constantly but cause no problems to me or their tankmates (apart from the odd bite when I stick it to close, but I'll take that for seeing their natural behaviour).
So although damsels can be nasty sods there are also great species if you choose wisely.

 

[Scurvy]

I agree. Theyre simply aggressive fish. Especially towards fish of similar size/color.

I have two Saphire Blues I bought and added at the same time going on 3 years ago. There may as well be a wall in the middle of the tank. If one strays over the wall its game on. Ive had to pull one or the other and place in a breeder box for a week or two to recover on more than one occasion. Not sure why I still do this for the $10 devil fish but I do.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I have one Chrysiptera springeri, or sapphire damsel. It is the smallest and the meanest fish in my tank. My 4" ocellaris female is a puppy dog and doesn't bother me one bit when working in the tank. The damsel flys at my hands like a ticked off bee biting me. It's the smallest fish in the tank with the biggest attitude. The only fish it doesn't try to boss, are the two clowns and the melanarus wrasse. It probably knows that a 3" and 4" clown and 5" wrasse could kick it's butt. The leopards, fairy and flasher wrasse all have to defend themselves from the blue devil.

Damsels are just the devil, man...

 

[Scurvy]

Edit: Totally posted in wrong thread. Thought I was in my build thread

 

[Fudsey]

@Fudsey @Katrina71 I told you if we speak of it then it happens!! The Dino started right about the same time as that conversation. Why it only works with the bad stuff amd not the lottery I’ll never know.

Edit: Totally posted in wrong thread. Thought I was in my build thread

Thought so ;Hilarious;Penguin

 

[Taxman20]

Sorry, been away for a while. Vacation and work.

Anyway, I have one of each and the mean species is the mean one. The one with a little yellow is the one being abused. I feel so bad for it because it lives in the corner behind the heater. Ill try to remove the aggressive one soon. Im in the ER right now for Palytoxin. Yayyy me. Cleared some palys off a big rock yesterday and had an open cut I didnt know about. Even the other zoas and shrooms were very upset for a while. There was a lot of toxin released Im guessing. I removed the rock, removed them, rinsed the rock well before placing it back in the tank. Wasnt good enough. Today the tank is fine. Me, not so much. Hoping it doesnt get too serious. This pain spreads and migrates fast though. 20 years of doing this and never had an issue until now. Arm gloves from here on for me.