Fish introduction (re-introduction) order?

[IPT]

The short story is I have a 120 gallon standard mixed reef that had 3 nasty, big, aggressive damsels (the end result of adding 4 yellow tail damsels of which all except one morphed into these demons). The tank also had a 20 year perc clown, a 7 inch 2 barred rabbitfish and a Scopas tang.

My Rabbisfish died changing the tank dynamics thus allowing me to catch the damsels! (YAY!).

Tomorrow I'll be adding a Bristle tooth tang, replacing the Rabbitfish, and adding more peaceful and colorful fish like a purple firefish, cardinals, and a Fairy Wrasse. I added a cardinal yesterday and the damsel and less so the clownfish were all over it! They were always peaceful, but now without the 3 mean damsels their demeanor changed!

I managed to trap and remove the Clownfish and Yellow tail damsel for now so all that is in the tank is the Scopas. Tomorrow the other fish arrive and I plan to add the purple firefish, cardinal, wrasse(s), rabbitfish and bristle tooth tang all at once. If I can, I may or may not be able to remove the Scopas before (but now he is learly of the trap).

So, the question is, if any, is there a "safe" amount of time to keep the damsel and clown out of the tank before re-introducing? Or, do I just add them all at the same time?

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?

 

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In my experience, there is no "safe" amount of time unfortunately. I would suggest removing the aggressors and rearranging the rock work significantly. After a week or two of settling in, I would reintroduce the aggressors and observe carefully. However, every fish is different, so you may not get the results you intended for.

 

[IPT]

Yeah, rearranging is not an option. Its a 3 year old reef and everything is essentially fused together for the most part.

I think the clown will just hang out in his spot for the most part. The yellow tail, I don't know. He's pretty small and with 6 other fish in there I'd imagine he will be too preoccupied to harass just one. Hopefully he will just go back to guarding the spot he used to hang out in when the other mean ones ruled to roost. Though i think the firefish and cardinal are very timid.

He's such a brilliant blue and with that yellow tail I hate to give him up. Decisions decisions.

 

[Decamicron Labs Verified Sponsor]

Yeah, rearranging is not an option. Its a 3 year old reef and everything is essentially fused together for the most part.

I think the clown will just hang out in his spot for the most part. The yellow tail, I don't know. He's pretty small and with 6 other fish in there I'd imagine he will be too preoccupied to harass just one. Hopefully he will just go back to guarding the spot he used to hang out in when the other mean ones ruled to roost. Though i think the firefish and cardinal are very timid.

He's such a brilliant blue and with that yellow tail I hate to give him up. Decisions decisions.

The electric blue that many damselfish species have are partially what drew me into saltwater. One of my first fish was a cyanea damsel. As aggressive as they can be, they really are beautiful.

I would suggest trying to catch him out and isolating him just in case. There is a possibility he decides to start picking on one specific fish. Those first few hours before a hierarchy emerges matter quite a lot.

 

[IPT]

The electric blue that many damselfish species have are partially what drew me into saltwater. One of my first fish was a cyanea damsel. As aggressive as they can be, they really are beautiful.

I would suggest trying to catch him out and isolating him just in case. There is a possibility he decides to start picking on one specific fish. Those first few hours before a hierarchy emerges matter quite a lot.

Thankfully he's out. The first few hours? Meaning introduce the other ones without him in the tank initially That is my current plan (I have the clownfish out too). I was going to keep him (them) out for a few days so the other new fish can learn their way around without being harassed.

Also, maybe I can out him back in in an isolation box and see if he acts aggressively. Though he may be too far from another other fish to go after them like he might if he was free. He was actually super mellow for years, but I think that was because the other 3 damsels wickedly out weighed him :).

 

[Decamicron Labs Verified Sponsor]

Thankfully he's out. The first few hours? Meaning introduce the other ones without him in the tank initially That is my current plan (I have the clownfish out too). I was going to keep him (them) out for a few days so the other new fish can learn their way around without being harassed.

Also, maybe I can out him back in in an isolation box and see if he acts aggressively. Though he may be too far from another other fish to go after them like he might if he was free. He was actually super mellow for years, but I think that was because the other 3 damsels wickedly out weighed him :).

Yes, thats the best course of action. Leave everything thats aggressive in a box or another tank for a few days to a few weeks. The first few hours matter a lot because the new fish are very stressed, so any sort of aggression and weakness gets locked into the hierarchy. I've found it very difficult to reintroduce some fish together if the initial "first impression" goes wrong.

Damselfish are always scheming to be a nuisance.