Should I get another damsel.

[ReefGuy1234]

I can't believe I want another damsel but I do. I have an azure damsel who has bullied/ tried to kill other "expensive" fish. He has been such a pain but I want a seconded for some reason. My dad really wants me to give the fish way because he has been such a pain. Can someone give me some insight on who that would affect my tank/fish. Would it make the problem better or worse. Would they entertain each other all day or would they gang up on the others and get a 20 bomb lol. All jokes aside is this a smart choice or would I just be making a horrible decision?

The damsel I have is just extremely territorial and bullies new fish even if they are 3x his size. He also bullies fish into starving to death. So if you were wondering what's his aggression looks like that's it lol.

If have any alternatives that look similar instead I want to hear them!

 

[ninjamyst]

Got a pic of the damsel? Azure suppose to be one of the less aggressive damsel...

 

[bnord]

live and learn... I have an azure.... in my sump - smile
So many other choices

that said I have 2 tiny Stag horn damsels in a 180, with lots if stag horns - rarely see them, but like knowing that are there

there ae gentle damsels, but few and far between

 

[areefer01]

What size tank?
How much life rock?
How mature is the coral?
What type of coral?
Tank mates - what fish do you have, and what is on your list?

All of these questions are very important. Damsels get a bad rap for a couple reasons but the first is usually the fault of the hobbyist not understanding their needs and the second due to LFS pushing them. They provide a wide range of sizes and color adding a lot of movement to the display for lower price point. I'm biased and have 7 Sapphires (biota), 1 azure, and a surge (210 gallon display, 4 year old, 200 lbs of rock, etc).

With my bias out of the way Chrysiptera is the family you want to look at:
Azures
Talbots
Sapphires (caution if smaller tank or in pairs - spawning Sapphires defend regardless of size of fish)
Starck
Rolland's
etc

If you have a decent sized system with a lot of rock it may be possible to add more. Damsels, and fish in general, need space. They forage, burrow, sleep, and retreat. Room to break the chase. Hide. Alone time. If you can provide that then look at the fish below and see what may work for you. Note that Sapphires can get pretty large. My dominate male is close to 5" in size. Little chunkster. I'd also recommend adding Sapphires last.

Chrysiptera - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Or if you want pictures:

Fish Identification

 

[ReefGuy1234]

What size tank?
How much life rock?
How mature is the coral?
What type of coral?
Tank mates - what fish do you have, and what is on your list?

All of these questions are very important. Damsels get a bad rap for a couple reasons but the first is usually the fault of the hobbyist not understanding their needs and the second due to LFS pushing them. They provide a wide range of sizes and color adding a lot of movement to the display for lower price point. I'm biased and have 7 Sapphires (biota), 1 azure, and a surge (210 gallon display, 4 year old, 200 lbs of rock, etc).

With my bias out of the way Chrysiptera is the family you want to look at:
Azures
Talbots
Sapphires (caution if smaller tank or in pairs - spawning Sapphires defend regardless of size of fish)
Starck
Rolland's
etc

If you have a decent sized system with a lot of rock it may be possible to add more. Damsels, and fish in general, need space. They forage, burrow, sleep, and retreat. Room to break the chase. Hide. Alone time. If you can provide that then look at the fish below and see what may work for you. Note that Sapphires can get pretty large. My dominate male is close to 5" in size. Little chunkster. I'd also recommend adding Sapphires last.

Chrysiptera - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Or if you want pictures:

Fish Identification

Yes, tank size 75 gallons, 110 pounds of live rocks (I just redid my aqua scape today and made a lot more swimming space and got rid of dead spots for flow and double the amount of cover/hiding spots) Coral mainly Sps and Lps all are small frags and growing.

Tank mates
2 clownfish
tomini tang he's only an inch
coral beauty
engineer goby
Ymg goby pair

On my list is a firefish or 2, some kind of blenny, 1-2 wrasses and another tang. Also I have had 3 firefish but 2 of them died to the damsel.

Also My tank/aqua scape can handle all this and same with my filtration. I've had all these fish in the same system before with no problems and I have a great aqua scape with plenty of room for swimmers, rock dwellers and more!

 

[BostonReefer300]

I'd really get something else. My three yellowtail damsels are terrors and won't die despite my best efforts. There are so many other cool fish out there and you have a good wish list. I LOVE my yellow coris wrasses. Not only are they beautiful, but they're peaceful and awesome at pest control. You do need a good sand bed for them though

 

[ReefGuy1234]

I'd really get something else. My three yellowtail damsels are terrors and won't die despite my best efforts. There are so many other cool fish out there and you have a good wish list. I LOVE my yellow coris wrasses. Not only are they beautiful, but they're peaceful and awesome at pest control. You do need a good sand bed for them though

Okay I'll probably end up doing that now think about how bad he really is. One of the two wrasse I want was a yellow coris wrasse, they are beautiful.

 

[jcolliii]

I'd echo the sentiment of your dad. There are much less aggressive and much prettier damsels out there. A tank that big, a large group of sunshine chromis would look awesome. I've always wanted a Corazon's damsel, and I have a starcki damsel. My starcki got bullied by a clown who is now in my office tank. Definitely a less aggressive species. I think a lot of the blue and yellow types will see each other as conspecifics and aggress accordingly. A starcki and a Corazons might not see each other as congeners (although I think it was moved from Chrisiptera recently) and it might be great. Both are pricey tho. Best looking damsels there are tho, imo.

Corazon's.

Starcki.

Sunshine chromis

 

[damsels are not mean]

I think people treat the damsel family as a monolith unfairly. The species all have their nuances and different behaviors. Talbots for example seem to prefer the lower end of the tank and are more cryptic while azures are more charismatic. These fish do not conflict in a good sized tank because what beef would they have? Most of the species I would recommend are already above. I really don't think the genus Chrysiptera are really any more aggressive than most of the popular beginner fish. Most damsels at least do not deserve to be stereotyped along with their dascyllus cousins (ok even I think those are mean).

 

[Catnip885]

I don't have experience with an azure but I have 2 smithi and a yellow tail blue in my 75. It has about the same amount of rock and we don't have any issues except when I added the two smithis. The one beat on the other some but it was just establishing territory and they swim around all the time. I also have a firefish that gets along just fine and is always out at the front of the tank.

Are you 100% sure it was the damsel that killed the firefish? A lot of the times firefish will kill each other unfortunately down to a single one.

 

[BostonReefer300]

I think people treat the damsel family as a monolith unfairly. The species all have their nuances and different behaviors. Talbots for example seem to prefer the lower end of the tank and are more cryptic while azures are more charismatic. These fish do not conflict in a good sized tank because what beef would they have? Most of the species I would recommend are already above. I really don't think the genus Chrysiptera are really any more aggressive than most of the popular beginner fish. Most damsels at least do not deserve to be stereotyped along with their dascyllus cousins (ok even I think those are mean).

You write good posts, but I TOTALLY disagree with your username!

 

[JumboShrimp]

I would add a same-size Talbot.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I would not do more than 1 in a 75g.
I have 100g with 2... eh. When I go to the 236g cube...I might add 1 more. Might. Lol.
I like to give em 2x2'
My golden damsel is a little a^$*([)÷. Lol.
Bites me a lot.
My 3 stripe is actually a model citizen.
The golden reminds me of a tiny mean gerbaldi. Lol
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Talbots are super chill.
My guess is it will act more docile than ur azual who sounds like runs the tank. The new damsel will most likely submit but survive just fine.
I don't like chromis unless the tanks large enough with a larger swimming water coloum.
D

 

[JumboShrimp]

(Of course, because it is such a pain in the neck, I don’t think anyone has yet mentioned the benefits of taking your Damsel out, moving your rocks around, putting in your second Damsel/Talbot, and then re-introducing your first Damsel.)