Am I making a huge mistake getting Springeri or azure damsels?

[ReefinIt]

I have a 130g mixed reef. I want a blue fish that stays smaller. Really considering a more mellow damsel like a springeri or azure damsel, but I’m concerned with aggression. Does anyone have experience with these guys? Are they truly less aggressive? If you had a springeri, what one did you have (more blue vs more black)?

Currently have a yellow tang, royal gramma, pair of percs, yellow watchman, firefish, two bangaii cardinals (getting rid of these eventually), and a pintail fairy wrasse.

I would like to eventually get a mandarin, a blenny, and maybe another wrasse.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Likely aggressive but you just never know. I would be concerned for the fire fish and the Gramma

 

[Elitecorals]

in my experience, springeri damsels are the least aggressive and can be live in a community tank. i have 3-5 in each of my frag tanks and they dont seem to bother any other fish. most of my springeri are blue

 

[Jedi Knghit]

I have a springeri damsel in my 75g with a lyretail anthias, coral beauty, pair of clowns, pair of bangaii, royal gramma, blue-green chromis and a zebra barred dartfish. It has been a model citizen, but it was one of the last adds to the tank

 

[ReefingDreams]

From my experience with Springeri, they'll leave your other fish alone. They can pick on each other, but not too terrible in a larger tank with more swimming room.

 

[areefer01]

Chrysiptera genus are typically considered more calm. Less aggressive, etc. So Springeri, Azure, Talbot, Starcki, etc.

Know up front that all fish can be agro / aggressive not just damsels. So while we build stock lists based on various hobbyist experiences there are those that purchase with this information and have the opposite experience.

Also a lot of trouble, or aggression, can be attributed to spawning, territory protection, sleeping quarters, etc. This is pretty important because some chasing is perfectly fine. Fight clubs are not. As long as you have plenty of rock scape so that they can find their own place to sleep, spawn, you should be good.

I currently have 11 Biota Lyretail Damsels in my 210 gallon mixed reef. I see some chasing going on but I also see a lot of spawning. There are no torn fins or missing scales. The amount of life they bring to the reef in the form of color and movement is what I was looking for and it worked out well.

Ask any scuba diver here what they see as they pass over a reef crest. Lots of little fish movement over the reefs with larger fish passing over. Damsels are some of those small fish doing all the hustle and bustle.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have 4 springeri in my 150.
Pretty peaceful. They enjoy swimming in and out of branches of SPS.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Consider Pavo as well

 

[Stang67]

Springeri are great. One of my first fish. Survived 2 upgrades and is still awesome. Always picking at rocks and will be good for pest control when you can't get a wrasse to work.

 

[UMALUM]

I have 9 of them and my chromis tell them what time it is. No aggression not even with each other. When mine came in there were 6 bright blue and 3 blue/black mix. I haven't researched the difference if there is any besides appearance?




Great little fish always diving into the reef looking for goodies.

 

[klc]

I have an Azure damsel in my reef tank and he's peaceful, there's no aggression at all, not even a chase now and then.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have 9 of them and my chromis tell them what time it is. No aggression not even with each other. When mine came in there were 6 bright blue and 3 blue/black mix. I haven't researched the difference if there is any besides appearance?




Great little fish always diving into the reef looking for goodies.

Yes

Will the real Springeri damselfish please swim up? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Chrysiptera springeri is an amazing species of damselfish which we’ve long admired. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen at least two color forms of damselfish being offered up as C. springeri…

reefbuilders.com

I have four of what they call the real ones with the smaller black dots. I have not seen another name for the ones with the larger black dots so they are still being sold as springeri.

 

[UMALUM]

Yes

Will the real Springeri damselfish please swim up? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Chrysiptera springeri is an amazing species of damselfish which we’ve long admired. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen at least two color forms of damselfish being offered up as C. springeri…

reefbuilders.com

I have four of what they call the real ones with the smaller black dots. I have not seen another name for the ones with the larger black dots so they are still being sold as springeri.

We're yours captive bred? Where did you get em?

 

[Dburr1014]

Local lfs, I don't know if captive bred probably not

 

[ReefinIt]

Likely aggressive but you just never know. I would be concerned for the fire fish and the Gramma

They have been together for two years now. The gramma can get a bit territorial over its den, but nothing too crazy.

Sounds like springeri could be it. I know there are two species sold as springeri. For those with them, do you have the one with more blue or the ones with more black? I heard aggression different between them.

 

[UMALUM]

They have been together for two years now. The gramma can get a bit territorial over its den, but nothing too crazy.

Sounds like springeri could be it. I know there are two species sold as springeri. For those with them, do you have the one with more blue or the ones with more black? I heard aggression different between them.

I ordered mine from doctor reef. Supposedly captive bred and fully quarantined. 4 bright blue, 2 with a little black, and 3 with more black. I don't think color has anything to do with it. Chrysiptera cf. Springeri. The only way there could be 2 is if one is an imposter.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Are these fish considered "jumpers"?

 

[UMALUM]

Are these fish considered "jumpers"?

No

 

[betareef]

Years ago I had a tank with bigger fish - large brown clown, harlequin tusk, PBT, etc. It was a 4 foot tank with plenty of coral live rock. I put 5 yellowtail azure damsels in it. Over a period of 6 months, that number became three - then held there for some years. Obviously territorially, the tank was suitable for 3 only. They never bothered the bigger fish though - too busy sorting themselves out. The final three, always chased each other when one ventured too close to another, but never any damage done - basically a 'happy' community.