adding damsels

[Sebastiancrab]

I have a 40 breeder with a sapphire damsel, 2 blue green chromis and a clown. I would like to remove the chromis and add several damsels of a blue variety. Would this be a mistake? Can you recommend a strategy?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Hmm. My knee-jerk reaction is that the Damsels would be OK to add in replacement. They are kind of aggressive, but the clown is too and should hold her own. I did the same thing you are thinking, but my tank was a 90G standard. Let's wait for others to chime in.

 

[GARRIGA]

Depends. I’ve added damsels to an established tank with damsels and seen no aggression then had a new addition that took over the tank and bullied one of the residents into submission and either jumped out or died and CUC solved it.

Yellowtail have the least aggression from those I’ve had yet also had blue devils that were model citizens. Like people. Mileage will vary. Only one way to find out is place them in an acclimation box and observe their interaction but that’s not guaranteed either.

Not sure this would work as I’ve never done with salt but saw Jake Adan’s do it with yellow tangs where you take the residents out. Redo the Rick work then introduce old plus new. Thereby no established territories. Have done that with African cichlids although didn’t take anything out. Just moved rocks around. All had to establish new territories although the old alpha remained the new alpha. Make it new for all

 

[areefer01]

40 breeder. How much rock work. How mature of coral colonies and what type(s)? Makes a big difference as to how many you could add. Typically we recommend damsels in the chrysiptera genus. Example would be Azure, Talbot, Surege, Rollands, etc. Plenty in that genus that have good colors and reports of being acceptable in a reef.

The challenge comes down to how many and if they form a pair. Spawning can bring aggression as would protection of the nest. I've kept 7 Sapphires in my 210 gallon mixed reef but they are too protective of the nest, eggs. Once pair was fine but when two pairs started to spawn it was too much chaos.

Basically if you have plenty of rock work and larger corals it will work. They need place to sleep and things to break up a chase. If more than one and a pair forms they need nesting areas. The more of this that you can provide the calmer things will be. If not then protecting territory happens and you will suffer a loss.

It may be wise to add the damsels as your last fish. This way should they form a pair you don't have to worry about new fish getting picked on because they don't know the lay of land. Which rock or coral is what fishes sleeping or nesting area...

I currently have 11 Biota Lyretail damsels in my 210 display and it is a lot of fun.