3 striped damsels
- Thread starter Ourfish
- Start date
PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
I personally like the work of the angler fish. Very efficient. :mrgreen:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qBA_02MoQ&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Crazy animal behaviour - Orange frogfish bites off more than it can chew! (HD)[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qBA_02MoQ&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Crazy animal behaviour - Orange frogfish bites off more than it can chew! (HD)[/ame]
valasaraptor
Proud ocelot owner!
Are you trying to rid the damsel or live together
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Is your heart set on keeping the damsel? Because it will be aggressive to most fish. And any fish I can think of that's more aggressive than the damsel will either eat it, or is too large for a tank that size.
That's the problem with damsels -- they will often attack any new fish that you try to add. They are very territorial. My suggestion would be to bring the damsel back to the store and pick out a fish that you like that plays nice with others. :)
That's the problem with damsels -- they will often attack any new fish that you try to add. They are very territorial. My suggestion would be to bring the damsel back to the store and pick out a fish that you like that plays nice with others. :)
PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
I was being silly..making a joke about feeding the damsels to the angler.:mrgreen:
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Damsels are very aggressive. Think of them as the Napoleons of the sea - small and full of bad attitude.
You could have 2 or 3 more damsels in that tank though. Would be kinda cool IMO. You just need to make sure that you have enough live rock so that each fish has his/her own little space or territory. In order to be happy and NOT live in a stressed environment, each fish needs a spot to call home.
I think 4 damsels in a 33g tank is about right. Some would pack more fish in a tank that size. I always thought it was cruel to cram a lot of fish into any tank. Would you want to live in a 1-bedroom apartment with 8 other people?
You're going to have to get rid of the damsel or just resign yourself to the fact that they are really mean little buggers and there's nothing gonna live with a 3 stripe damsel except another damsel. Don't get 1 new fish though. The existing damsel will most likely kill it. This is one situation where I'd recommend you buy all 3 of the new fish and introduce all of them on the same day.
FYI there are some really beautiful damsels. Most people don't know that because all you ever see in the LFS is a couple 3 stripe and a couple blue ones. If you are interested in what I proposed, take a look at damsels and see if any of them strike your eye. You might be pleasantly surprised at how beautiful some of them are. The ocellate damsel is one of the prettiest IMO.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+28
Good luck in whatever you decide to do. :Cheers:
You could have 2 or 3 more damsels in that tank though. Would be kinda cool IMO. You just need to make sure that you have enough live rock so that each fish has his/her own little space or territory. In order to be happy and NOT live in a stressed environment, each fish needs a spot to call home.
I think 4 damsels in a 33g tank is about right. Some would pack more fish in a tank that size. I always thought it was cruel to cram a lot of fish into any tank. Would you want to live in a 1-bedroom apartment with 8 other people?
You're going to have to get rid of the damsel or just resign yourself to the fact that they are really mean little buggers and there's nothing gonna live with a 3 stripe damsel except another damsel. Don't get 1 new fish though. The existing damsel will most likely kill it. This is one situation where I'd recommend you buy all 3 of the new fish and introduce all of them on the same day.
FYI there are some really beautiful damsels. Most people don't know that because all you ever see in the LFS is a couple 3 stripe and a couple blue ones. If you are interested in what I proposed, take a look at damsels and see if any of them strike your eye. You might be pleasantly surprised at how beautiful some of them are. The ocellate damsel is one of the prettiest IMO.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+28
Good luck in whatever you decide to do. :Cheers:
Last edited:
melisssaparker46
Reefing newb
i have the same problem. Thanks for this thread.
little_fish
Moderator
I currently have 3 damsels in a 46 gal tank and one of them is being harassed to death by the other two. They dont let him eat nor do they let him leave this tiny corner of the tank. Since your damsel has been in tank i bet he thinks he own all the of the tank and will probably be a horror story to the new damsels you put in there.
My suggestion is to either get 3 completely new damsels, keep the single damsel or get a different fish all together. If you do like the looks of the angler, you could have one in your tank, however you wouldnt be able to keep any other fish with him
My suggestion is to either get 3 completely new damsels, keep the single damsel or get a different fish all together. If you do like the looks of the angler, you could have one in your tank, however you wouldnt be able to keep any other fish with him
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Good luck catching him ;)
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
You can and SHOULD trade the damsel back to the fish store - IF they will take him. But don't expect more than a dollar or maybe two bucks for him. They certainly aren't going to give you $5 for him.
Or, you can give him away to a local reefer. The only thing with giving him away to a local reefer, is some people will feed him to a big lion fish or eel. When I gave away my 3 stripe damsel, I asked the guy if I could come over and see the tank to be sure it wasn't a 200g predator tank. It wasn't, and I gave him the fish.
I know it sounds horrible (it does to me), but there are actually people out there who will feed them to lions or eels. :grumble:
Or, you can give him away to a local reefer. The only thing with giving him away to a local reefer, is some people will feed him to a big lion fish or eel. When I gave away my 3 stripe damsel, I asked the guy if I could come over and see the tank to be sure it wasn't a 200g predator tank. It wasn't, and I gave him the fish.
I know it sounds horrible (it does to me), but there are actually people out there who will feed them to lions or eels. :grumble:
Something I did with great success was to turn all lights out, rearrange the rock work, add new fish, and leave the lights out until the next day...
This causes the damsel's territory to vanish, and the lights being out puts him in hide mode letting the new fish get their bearings and setup their own territory.
Worked for me until my clowns beat the damsel up(clowns are damsel cousins).
This causes the damsel's territory to vanish, and the lights being out puts him in hide mode letting the new fish get their bearings and setup their own territory.
Worked for me until my clowns beat the damsel up(clowns are damsel cousins).
