Do damsels really deserve all the bad rap?

[Slocke]

OK, never heard of Tyler The Creator. Probably because he's an artist that was past the 1970's and '80's!!!!

I dare you to listen to 30 minutes of his “rap”

 

[Lavey29]

Azure damsels are known to be the most passive of all damsels. I have 4 azure damsels in my 200g tank along with 20+ other fish. The only one they pick on is.....me. Every time my hand is in the tank, they nip at me. Little jerks ....

The other damsels deserve their bad reps.

But I have azure and springerie along with 10 other fish. The springer is docile like the azure too.

 

[Lavey29]

I thought all these little spots were an allergic reaction until I put my hand back in the tank and realized that my damsels weren't just bumping me, they were biting me!

I have one very old yellow that has killed other fish. I keep moving him into bigger tanks to give him space and hiding places for his territory. He just keeps claiming the entirety of the bigger tanks. Right now, he owns a 220. He's 1/3 the size of my hippo tang and will still attack the hippo.

So he's headed for the sump...which, when the new tank goes in, is still 90 gallons, so it's not like hell suffer.

Some people consider that a spa treatment

 

[PharmrJohn]

I dare you to listen to 30 minutes of his “rap”

Oh my. I've got one for you as well. The worst Rap EVER. Just have to find it. I shall bend to what you've basically declared......A double dog dare. You can't turn down a double dog dare, lol!

 

[Reefer Matt]

I have damsels in all my tanks that have coral. It’s cool to watch lemon damsels and blue chromis living in their birdsnest and montipora colonies. I also have a clownfish in each of my coral tanks too. I say “coral tanks” because I have three frag tanks and only one reef display. Damsels just work for me, and I actually like them, especially my two Sergeant Major damsels.

 

[BriDroid]

I LOVE my little Springeri in my tank. It's next to my desk, and he's not shy at all. He comes out and watches me work all day, and asking for food :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes: He picks on pests that pop up too.

 

[Lavey29]

I have damsels in all my tanks that have coral. It’s cool to watch lemon damsels and blue chromis living in their birdsnest and montipora colonies. I also have a clownfish in each of my coral tanks too. I say “coral tanks” because I have three frag tanks and only one reef display. Damsels just work for me, and I actually like them, especially my two Sergeant Major damsels.

You have 3/4th inch of space bottom left corner if you get the urge to add one more coral.

What damsels do you have?

 

[Reefer Matt]

You have 3/4th inch of space bottom left corner if you get the urge to add one more coral.

What damsels do you have?

Lol! I may start knocking some more down and put a few acro frags in. In that tank I have a black Ocellaris clown, three lemon damsels, and a Sergeant Major.

In my three frag tanks (In total), I have another Sergeant Major, two blue chromis, three lemon damsels, a tomato clown, two Percula clowns, and two yellow tail damsels (blue bodies, forgot name). One clown to a tank.

 

[exnisstech]

Springer damsels seems to be good. Sixline. Many say how they have a model citizen but then as it grows and matures it goes wrong. Can’t change DNA lol.

I dunno I had a sixline for about 3 years before it passed and it never bothered any fish. My current 2 not as long, one 9 months the other a bit over a year. I still think a lot has to do with providing the correct habitat for them.

 

[TX_REEF]

So I have a well established reef with an eclectic group of inhabitants that includes a springer damsel, 6 line and other wrasses, coral beauty, dottyback, anthia, midas blenny, etc.... adding fish to this group can be difficult because they have a well established neighborhood. I've always liked azure damsels with the yellow tail but like other damsels they get a bad rap sometimes. I saw 2 at my LFS, didn't know if they were a mated pair or just good buds. I took a chance and dropped them in the tank. Pretty much every fish went after them first 2 days but these little guts stood their ground like little bad @$$s. Now they have fully been accepted into the reef neighborhood and it's kind of wierd because it looks like the larger springerie damsel is trying to form a triad with them now. I'm always amazed watching the behavior of the critters in my tank.

So I have to wonder why damsels always seem to get all the hate? I know some seem pretty fierce but for me certain subspecies seem perfectly fine 8n a community tank.

my yellow tail azure damsel is the king of my 50 gallon lowboy frag tank. It even tried to bully the tomini tang I added that is 4x its size (tang wasn't fazed and just laughed at him, but still he tried)

I'm sure any fish I added similar in size would get jumped.

 

[exnisstech]

my yellow tail azure damsel is the king of my 50 gallon lowboy frag tank. It even tried to bully the tomini tang I added that is 4x its size (tang wasn't fazed and just laughed at him, but still he tried)

I'm sure any fish I added similar in size would get jumped.

That same fish in a DT full of live rock may behave totally different.

 

[TX_REEF]

That same fish in a DT full of live rock may behave totally different.

true, he is very protective of his sps frags on the racks :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[Fishy888]

I have damsels in all my tanks that have coral. It’s cool to watch lemon damsels and blue chromis living in their birdsnest and montipora colonies. I also have a clownfish in each of my coral tanks too. I say “coral tanks” because I have three frag tanks and only one reef display. Damsels just work for me, and I actually like them, especially my two Sergeant Major damsels.

I just bought two sergeant major damsels last night. They are beautiful!

 

[Fishy888]

While I think of it, have any of you had sulfur yellow damsels in a reef? I’m thinking about getting one in the future. My research so far suggests that they should have the same aggression level as the sergeant majors as adults. I want to verify that if I can before getting one.

 

[jcmjoe]

The meanest fish I have in my tank is a basslet, he was such a bully and messed with all my other fish so bad I finally decided to gamble and put a beautiful blue devil damsel in the tank since I knew it wouldn’t take any crap off of him, and it worked!!! The blue devil keeps the basslet in check and honestly everyone gets along great now!

 

[Fishy888]

The meanest fish I have in my tank is a basslet, he was such a bully and messed with all my other fish so bad I finally decided to gamble and put a beautiful blue devil damsel in the tank since I knew it wouldn’t take any crap off of him, and it worked!!! The blue devil keeps the basslet in check and honestly everyone gets along great now!

I might add a basslet eventually. They’re beautiful. I need to watch it though since I want to do a clownfish harem and either a mag or a gig carpet anemone down the road.

 

[jcmjoe]

Here they are palling around! Haha

 

[Crabby48]

I dunno I had a sixline for about 3 years before it passed and it never bothered any fish. My current 2 not as long, one 9 months the other a bit over a year. I still think a lot has to do with providing the correct habitat for them.

3 years is young if he was small when you got him. That said there is always one that will break the mold. Yes the habit is very important part and is for keeping any group of wrasse.

 

[maximuscaezer]

I have a small group of 5 yellowtails in my 47gal lagoon, I love their personalities and how mischievous they can be. Never had any issues with aggression from them.

 

[lbacha]

Kupang Damsels don’t bother any of their tank mates. I have 7 in my new 300g and as you can see from this video they have formed territories and do like to bicker with each other but are otherwise model citizens. I have smaller gobies and blennies and they ignore them.

300g tank video with Kupang Damsels