What’s your take on a shoal of damsels ??

[DrewBrees713]

The boss of the house, aka my wife , wants to start a tank filled with damsels. I know theyre mean little boogers but ive been asking around the local experts and they said it could be done if i have plenty of LR with lot of hiding holes. Like at least 150+ lbs of rocks. So my questions to you are:

Can i mix a variety or it has to be the same type?

Which damsels are the meanest?

Can i add other types of fish say angels, firefish, tangs etc?

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

i had 20 azura damsels in a 90 gallon along with a pair of clowns, yellow tang, 6 line and a melanarus. it looked great and never lost a single one. aggression was minimal I fed 3 times a day. putting my hand in the tank sucked but other than that I liked it way better than when I had green chromis

 

[eatbreakfast]

A large group of various Chrysiptera species would work well.

I wouldn't do firefish, but most other fish will work.

 

[DrewBrees713]

Me dig azure damsels.
When you say large, how many would you recommend for a 90 or 125G cube? If im not mistaken, the C. species include the blue devil also. Arent they obnoxious, little monsters?

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

when I bought mine they were listed as the most peaceful damsels I really liked them my buddy tried it with yellow tales because they were cheaper and they were horrible so I would do azura only

 

[saltyhog]

Azures are beautiful and amazingly mild for damsels. They won't really shoal...at least mine didnt. They each established their own little cubby hole and defended it. Otherwise they ignored each other and the other fish

 

[andy020]

I have one, and love the little prick.. attacks me every time I put my hand in the tank

 

[eatbreakfast]

Azures, arnazae, springeri, talbot, rollandi, traceyi, and tricincta are all well behaved.

You could easily have 10+ in that size tank.

 

[DrewBrees713]

Azures, arnazae, springeri, talbot, rollandi, traceyi, and tricincta are all well behaved.

You could easily have 10+ in that size tank.

How's about 30+? Kinda pushing the envelope to see what i can safely get away with.


I plan to have 20 azure and YT. Then a few devil, stripe and dominoes. Maybe 3 of each.Would that work?

Again, there will be tons of LR and lots of hiding places for each to claim their own. Hope i can pull it off.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Man! Now you guys have me thinking! Maybe a school of damsels for my next tank... hmmm....

 

[Decat]

I have a Damsel only display tank, and it works GREAT! One of my favorite displays. Here is a video:

BioCube 32 Gallon: 7 Fish, information below = [personal name, common name, (max size) scientific name]

• Bart - Bicolor Chromis (3.5”) Chromis margaritifer
• Taz - Fiji Damsel Devilfish (3") Chrysiptera taupou
• Edward - Scissortail Damsel (3") Neopomacentrus bankieri
• Junior - 3 Striped Damsel (4") Dascyllus aruanus
• Sarge - 4 Striped Damsel (3") Dascyllus melanurus
• Scar - Caribbean Jewel Yellowtail Damsel (8") Microspathodon chrysurus
• Spot - Beaugregory Damsel (4") Stegastes leucostictus [or maybe a Cocoa damselfish (5") Stegastes variabilis? or maybe a Longfin damselfish (5") Stegastes diencaeus?]
• Venus - Purple/Green Tube Anemone (8”-12”) Cerianthus membranaceus
• Charolette - Pink/Purple Tube Anemone
• Sonnie - Orange/Green Tube Anemone
• Clifford - Large Red Reef Lobster
• Penny - Rainbow Urchin
• Shadow - Black Long Spined Urchin
• White Claw Hermit Crab
• Small Purple Reef Lobster

Since this video I also added an Orange Tail Blue Damsel, so there are 8 Damsels in the tank now, all healthy, all eating, all healthy fins, but the Orange Tail was picked on for about 3-4 days, the first night he was in there he got kinda torn up, but they all have found their spots to be territorial over and the Orange Tail has taken the upper right hand back corner, and the front lower left corner.

 

[DrewBrees713]

Looking good, mate! I'd more LR if i were you to give them their own turf. Beautiful tube ane, how hardy are they? Do you feed them ?

 

[Decat]

Looking good, mate! I'd more LR if i were you to give them their own turf. Beautiful tube ane, how hardy are they? Do you feed them ?

Yeah, my problem is every time I add more live rock in there my 8" Red Reef Lobster demolishes it, haha. I will probably epoxy some new hiding places and install before I add the Yellow Damsel I just ordered for it. I'm in Houston as well, feel free to swing by and check it out in person. Tube Ane is super hardy, and since there is so much water flow in this tank I don't need to spot feed them, they just catch the floating food as the Damsels eat.

 

[dodgerblew]

I've seen shoals of the blue and black Springeri in reef tanks and was awesome. I have Springeri in my tank and is probably my favorite fish in the tank. I wouldn't hesitate to add more and probably will.

 

[andy020]

They look awsome under low light Kessil.. it’s the only fish in my tank actually. Highly underrated fish

 

[DrewBrees713]

Decat, where are you in Htown? So you have any other set up? Would love to see a video if you do.

 

[eatbreakfast]

How's about 30+? Kinda pushing the envelope to see what i can safely get away with.


I plan to have 20 azure and YT. Then a few devil, stripe and dominoes. Maybe 3 of each.Would that work?

Again, there will be tons of LR and lots of hiding places for each to claim their own. Hope i can pull it off.

That plan sounds awesome!

 

[ca1ore]

Big fan of C damsels - pushing 50 in my tank; 40 of which are yellow tails. Aggression is greatly mitigated with a group. They’re the meekest fish in my tank.

 

[Decat]

Decat, where are you in Htown? So you have any other set up? Would love to see a video if you do.

I am just North of the Heights in Shepherd Forest. I have 4 displays and 2 quarantines.....

 

[DrewBrees713]

The Heights. You baller, you

Big fan of C damsels - pushing 50 in my tank; 40 of which are yellow tails. Aggression is greatly mitigated with a group. They’re the meekest fish in my tank.

How big is your tank? Got pics? Sharing is caring