Odd Damselfish? Beh.    12/15/08
Hello there! Ok, I have a question regarding some Blue Neon Damselfish,
<Mmm, what species is this?>
as my LCF called them, for they are acting strangely. I just recently bought 4 new damsels where they were placed in my 45 gallon tank, where two other damsels of the same species already lived for about 4 months. At first, the little guys did swimmingly, though there was a little hen-pecking, but nothing out of the ordinary.
<Mmm, am not so sure>
All the fish eventually cooled down and ate like pigs, though I never overfeed, and all seemed happy. About a day ago I noticed 1 of the 4 damsels swimming at the bottom of the tank, not wanting to leave the place in which it was swimming. It also didn't eat, nor did it swim around with the other fish.
<Bad signs>
I was concerned, so I checked the tank, nitrite and all, and it was perfect, so I was baffled. Then, this afternoon when I came home from Church, I noticed another damsel doing the same thing as the first one, and they both are less than two inches apart. They exhibit the same behavior, swimming in isolation at the bottom of the tank. But what is odd is that another Damsel seems to be watching the both of them, without relent, but he never touches the two. I'm honestly baffled, and I'm not sure what's going on.
<Have seen this... can guess...>
I've had the other two damsels for several months and they are perfectly fine, and so are the other 2 of the 4, but the other 2 concern me. Also, I nearly forgot, that the 2 that are acting odd, seem to go through moderate color changes, going from bright neon to cold blue.
<Good observation>
They both are very aware of the other fishes, and of me, but they are not interested in food or swimming around. I've also noticed that they stay within an area where there is a dip in the crushed coral, but they don't always stay in just one spot, but never far from. The tank is full of live rock, but it lacks any living corals and the like. I wonder what is wrong with my Damsels, are they crowded in my elongated 45?
<Yes>
To note, the other fish have eaten, and they seem very normal, and its been nearly a week since the initial placement of the fish(They were in a separate tank, for about week, by themselves for good measure.).
Any comments would be great,
Michael Flanigan
<I do think that the social dynamic... the size, shape of this system is limiting here. I would move the two "out of sorts" specimens from this system, pronto. Bob Fenner>

Upside down clowns... Damsel beh., reading 05/19/08
Hello crew!
I have a 16gal tank. I started it about two months ago with live sand. The water parameters all seem quite good. It is my first salt water tank. I have had aquariums since I was about 5, for 30 years. Even at that, I am not an expert, but I did feel ready to try a salt tank. A few weeks ago, I bought a true Percula clown, a blenny (I do not know what kind it is, but it is pink and grey), a yellow tailed damsel, and a red(fire?) shrimp.
<... need more room than this...>
The shrimp was happy enough in its new environment to molt the next day.
<Do molt also under too-stressful conditions>
A few days later, I added another clown, same kind, and a week after that I added another yellow tailed damsel.
<Trouble...>
Everyone seemed happy. The water parameters stayed normal. When I added the second clown, the clowns seemed happy together. They swam everywhere together, always side by side. The damsel was rarely seen, always hiding in a coral cave (not live coral).
<Are social animals... live in largish shoals...>
I thought that if I added another damsel that the first one would be happier-
<Perhaps in a larger setting>
I tend to keep things in pairs, although not always the right choice.
<Mmm, "things" are not in pairs altogether...>
In this case, the pairing worked as I expected. Another reason I added the damsel was that the clowns were acting weird, as I have discovered that many clowns do.
<Ah, yes>
They would hang at the top of the tank until I fed them, sometimes even hanging out upside down. When they got their food they would return to mid tank level, and swim normally. This behavior progressed to always being at the top, and usually upside down. I did not suspect swim bladder disease, because they could swim normally if they wanted to. I thought that by adding a new damsel, it would even out the dynamics, and the clowns would improve. The clowns are now always at the top, and always upside down.
<I suspect you mean, "facing downward" rather than inverted "belly up">
They do right themselves to eat, although one is better at it than the other. The water parameters are still good. I use a side hanging Aqueon cartridge filter. All of the fish appear healthy otherwise. I feed them a variety of flakes and soft pellets, and all eat well. The clowns show no other signs of disease, except for being upside down. I have plenty of aeration, and I unplugged my powerhead in case it was causing too much current. The
temperature is 78-80F. The damsels do seem aggressive now. Could they be causing this behavior?
<Mmm, perhaps a contributing influence... all damsels (of which Clowns are a part) are aggressive to a degree>
If it is a swim bladder problem, how do I fix it, and why do they both have it? Could one have it, and the other be copying his friend? Thank you for your insight into this perplexing problem.--Andrea
<... Ahh, "woman of the sea" (a meaning of your praenomen/name)... I suggest you avail yourself of what is archived on our site re these fishes, their needs, behavior. All you seek is recorded there. Bob Fenner>

Re: upside down clowns 05/20/08
Hi Bob,
Thank you for your response. Your site is am invaluable resource. I asked you about upside down, because I could not find any references on your site regarding literally upside down. They ARE belly up!
<Yikes!>
Would you like a photo?
<Mmm, no. I trust your assessment>
For the last two days, one of them now prefers right side up again, but still prefers the top of the tank. They act normal otherwise. The other clown that is still belly up does right itself, but seems to have trouble doing so.
<May be something else going on here... internal damage, parasites...>
I do not think that the shrimp was stressed, he seems quite happy. The tiny yellow tailed blue damsels seem increasingly aggressive, but happy together. I will probably bring them back to the store.
<I would>
My tank does not seem overloaded at all.
<Ahh! Is; psychologically>
Each fish is one inch long or less, with the exception of the blenny which is 1.5". The ammonia levels are at zero. The tank is a bow front, and seems quite large for what is in it. Am I incorrect?
Thank you...."Woman of the Sea"
<"Morgan" is the male equivalent of your nam/e/ing... I do wish we could all do the equivalent of "the Vulcan mind-meld"... You would understand from seeing these species in the wild... how their behavior translates into captive conditions. Bob Fenner>

Clownfish/Damselfish Aggression 4/23/08
Hi WWM,
<Hello>
Thanks for your work with the forum--it's been a big help to me. Recently, my two ocellaris clowns (both tank-raised) have become quite aggressive with the 2 Dascyllus three-striped damsels (who used to fight among themselves, but not so much any more), and I noticed that the smaller of the damsels had one of his pectoral fins nipped this morning.
<Not good.>
My tank is a 46-gallon setup, with plenty of hiding spaces in the 30 lbs of live rock. Water quality seems to be excellent, and all four fish have been eating quite well. In fact, one of the clowns, who has turned a bit more aggressive recently, was looking a little fat a couple of days ago (stomach distended). I thought I'd reduce the food to the tank for a couple of days to thin them down to healthy levels. In addition to the clowns and damsels I have a lawnmower blenny that is completely detached from any issues (no nipping that I've seen with him) and a few little hermit crabs and snails. When I started the tank, the damsels attacked the clowns for a few days until they got used to each other. It's now been about a month that they've all been cohabitating just fine until the past couple of days. I noticed a little bit of chasing, as can be expected from territorial fish, but never for any prolonged period of time. It's like a different side of my clowns has come out all at once.
<They are probably starting to pair up, claiming their territory.>
My question is, are these species going to have prolonged compatibility issues?
<Very possible, clownfish are damsels, and can be very aggressive, as can the Dascyllus, in fact the Dascyllus can be real trouble as they mature. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dascyllu.htm .>
Is the reduction in rations causing some competitiveness issues?
<Might be a little, but most is just due to the nature of these fish.>
What can I do to reduce this territorial behavior?
<Rearranging the rockwork may help for a while, but long term these fish are just not compatible in this sized tank.>
Is it common for clownfish to become aggressive overnight in this manner?
<Not that uncommon, at some point if the Dascyllus survive the initial clownfish aggression I am guessing they will return the favor in excess. Best move here would be to separate the fish.>
Thanks for your help,
Brandon
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Damsel Fish Tank Mates 1-20-08
Hello WWM
<Greetings. Yunachin here.>
My tank was done cycling so I decided to put two cheap damsel fish into it, only 2.99 each. Just to see if everything was ok. They were doing great until the bigger one killed the smaller one and ate most of it.
<Yes, damsels are very aggressive especially with other damsels.>
The damselfish looks like a blue devil but with a yellow belly and yellow dorsal fin. I was wondering what could go well with this little devil and not be hurt by it.
<If you want to keep him in his place I would recommend a larger fish like a tang or triggerfish in the tank.>
Or I wouldn't mind a fish that would see him as food, such as a Sargassum fish or a small dwarf lion. The tank is a 29 gallon oceanic bio-cube.
<If you don’t want him see if the LFS will take him back. Perhaps you can get a store credit. I wouldn’t just feed him to another fish. There is some great information on damsels here at this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/damsels.htm ; >
Thanks for all your help.
<You’re welcome! Good Luck. –Yunachin>

Bye humbug! Marine Stocking, Cardinals 12/10/07
Hello!
<Hi>
Sorry, I have one of those boring stocking questions, ha ha.
<LOL>
Currently, I have 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 black capped basslet, 1 black-tail humbug, and 1 yellow tail damsel. Unfortunately, the clowns have begun to chase the humbug around the tank--the clownfish pair and humbug appear to like the same area (the rock level). The yellow tail favors the upper area and the black cap is either in her hole or out of everybody's way.
<Make sure it is feeding.>
I love my clowns so I decided the humbug should go especially before he outgrows the clowns and takes his revenge!
<Definitely a possibility if it survived the clowns aggression.>
I love the black and white stripes, so I did some research and thought that a Banggai cardinal would be appropriate and more peace loving.
<Probably too passive here, will also get bullied.>
I know they like to be in groups but was wondering if only one would thrive with the fish I listed (minus the humbug).
<I don't think it is tough enough to survive with a group of damsels.>
I don't want to be overstocked with two, unless you strongly think otherwise of course, I'd be more than happy to get two but prefer one if possible.
<I would probably avoid this fish altogether.>
My other concern is that I do have a bit of flow in the tank, 2 powerheads (1 with a rotator), a skimmer, and filter--probably around 1200 gph flowing collectively. I read that Banggai's are not the strongest swimmers...Again , I like the black and white stripes, and hardiness of these fish once established.
<Can be tough to get to feed, try to get captive breed if you decide to get the Banggai.>
If you have another recommendation, please feel free to share! I would like to stay away from any angels, butterflies, or overly sensitive fish (too big for my tank anyway),
<Yes>
moreover no wrasses, blennies, or Basslets, as I don't think my black cap would appreciate them much.
<I think a 6-line wrasse may do ok here, otherwise it is a pretty rough bunch you have, need to stock accordingly.>
The tank is 45 gallons, has about 40lbs of live rock, and about 5" deep layer of aragonite substrate. I have 192 watts of PC lighting and a remora skimmer.? Temp 78-80, ph 8.2, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, and nitrates 10ppm.
<Sounds nice.>
Inverts include: 1 yellow CBS (Stenopus scutellatus), 2 small blue hermit crabs, and a Hawaiian feather duster. Also, I have a bunch of stomatellids and Nerites hitchhikers.
Thanks again for your help!
Danny N.
Tampa, FL
<Sounds like a nice setup, although stocking will continue to be a problem the more the damsels establish themselves. Might want to think about just sticking with what you have currently, not really too much room left anyways.>
<Chris>

Re: Bye humbug! Marine Stocking, Cardinals 12/10/07
Hi Chris!
<Hello>
Thank you for the response.
<Welcome>
I will try to find another fish or at least acquire a tank-raised Banggai.
<Ultimately I think a different, more robust fish may be best here.>
I caught the humbug today, after much unintended "aquascaping". Some of his fins were torn...poor guy.
<Should be ok in the long run.>
The black cap was very shy at first but often comes out now? Especially during feeding, although she doesn't like any flake offered, just mysis.
<Try a pellet food instead of flakes, often more acceptable and holds its nutritional value better when soaked.>
The clowns don't pick on anybody else, I believe it's because nobody really swims in their level besides the humbug (off to the fish store with him). I love six-line wrasses but I had one that killed all my shrimp, so I am a bit weary of getting one!
<Ahhh, yes can be a problem with some individuals.>
Oh the challenges, gotta love saltwater... Thanks again!
Danny
Tampa, FL
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Question concerning Damselfish and Filter, power, maint... Pomacentrid incomp.  12/4/07
Hello!
First of all, I would like to hop on the bandwagon with everyone else and let you know how wonderful your website is. It is great getting feedback from knowledgeable aquarists.
<Thanks!>
Now my questions:
This is my first saltwater tank and has, so far, been a pleasure to maintain. It is definitely a rewarding experience. I have a 20 gallon tank filled with close to 20 pounds of live rock arranged to allow lots of hiding space, holes to swim through, and good water flow. The filter I use is a Top Fin Power Filter 20, which uses floss/carbon filters to clean the water. My question concerns this filter. I understand that a lot of the beneficial bacteria for the tank's ecosystem likes to live on the floss in the filter, so when I change the filter, will this effectively throw my tank into another cycling stage? Or will there be enough bacteria growing on other things in the tank, (i.e. LR, Live sand, etc), to repopulate the filter and stabilize it relatively quickly?
<It is certainly true in a traditional tank that most of the biological filtration takes place in the canister filter. However, in a marine tank with live rock, it is the live rock that does most of the filtration, and the filter is mostly there for mechanical filtration (i.e., removal of solid waste particles) and to generate water current. Opinion varies on what the optimum interval between filter cleans should be; some people like to leave their filters for as long as possible, while others maintain frequent cleaning is better. I know Bob recommends doing filter cleans every 4-6 weeks, and each time a good rule of thumb is to clean the media in buckets of aquarium water (to keep the bacteria alive) and to change no more than 50% of the media at any one time. Usually it's the filter wool and sometimes the sponges that need replacing; the ceramic "noodles" should last many years, especially good quality ones like Siporax.>
Secondly, I made the mistake of purchasing two Blue Damselfish and one Four-Striped Damsel. One of the blue Damsels immediately established dominance in the tank and nipped the other blue Damsel to the point to where it could no longer swim. I moved the latter to a smaller isolation tank to try to force-feed it myself in order to keep it alive , to no avail. The four-striped Damsel, after doing a little research, is of the genus Dascyllus, which is apparently a social species. While the blue Damsel is particularly aggressive, the four-striped damsel is not. I am probably going to return the blue damsel to my LFS and purchase a couple more four-striped damsels. Is this advisable?
<They can certainly work very well in groups, but this does depend on the tank and the size of the group. As a rule, Damselfish can work well either singly or in groups of 6+. It's when you keep twos and threes that problems with bullying occur. This is especially true if you add two newer (and smaller) fish to a tank that already has one specimen who has "staked his claim". Relatively few Damselfish are mindless schooling fish in the same way as, say, Danios; rather, they form aggregations with dominant males at the top, constantly bullying all the others in the group. In the wild, this doesn't do too much harm because no sub-dominant individual gets too beaten up, and predators will continually be removing members of the group periodically, re-shuffling the hierarchy. But in the closed confines of an aquarium this sort of arrangement doesn't work, and the end result is bullying.><<This volume is too small to accommodate Pomacentrids... RMF>>
Also, in schooling these damsels, will it help keep aggression, (what little I've seen from the four-stripe), towards other fish at bay?
<Possibly, but I wouldn't bank on it. As a rule, Damsels orient aggression towards not just their own species, but any other Damselfish in the tank.>
I am planning on getting an Ocellaris clown in the future.
<Ah, don't forget Clownfish are Damselfish in good standing, and much of their behaviour can, will overlap because they "speak" the same language and have the same demands. So again, avoiding overcrowding will be the key to getting them living together happily. Clowns are relatively mild fish in terms of aggression, whereas Dascyllus Humbug-type damsels are closer to the top-end of the aggression range. Unless you have a big tank, my gut feeling is that you won't have space for half a dozen Dascyllus plus a Clownfish. Indeed, you may not even have the space for a stable group of Dascyllus. Let's say you need ~90 litres per Dascyllus, so we're talking a tank around the 500-600 litre mark just for them. That's a pretty big tank.><<Yes... well-stated; and this is but a twenty gallon system. RMF>>
Thanks for all of your help!
Matt
<Hope this helps, Neale.>

Damsel distress... 25 gal. with damselS, incl. Domino... and Tang/s?    8/8/07
Hi there, I just discovered your site, and I wish I had sooner as I have been having problems. Some history of the tank: I will admit when i first began cycling the tank I was impatient and ignorant,
<Mmm, I still am>
and started the process of this 25 gallon tank with 2 small three stripe damsels and a very small yellow tang
<Yikes!>
(which I later regretted), who lived together in the pet store. I started the process blindly, not really understanding what the cycling process entailed, and learning as time went on (again, not wise I know). All seemed well a month later and so I added a coral beauty, followed in a few weeks by an electric blue damsel and the current domino damsel.
<... WWN!>
I was finished adding fish for good. That very week I went out of town, leaving their care to my roommate who turned off the air conditioner (on the hottest week of the summer) and failed to notice the deaths of 3 of the fish (the electric blue damsel, one three stripe damsel, and the yellow tang). The tank temperature
reached into the 90s in only a few days time. She continued to feed the fish (in excess) and left the dead fish to rot, and needless to say the tank was in horrible shape when I returned. This was a huge slap in the face and a great loss to me, as the yellow tang and the original crew were part of my family! The other fish survived and remained healthy, and I am not sure the exact reason for their deaths as I was not here. I did not ever notice any physical signs of illness. I have since done my research, been patient, and really vowed to avoid any more unnecessary deaths, as it is both sad and expensive. I left the tank to continue cycling and to regenerate, without adding anything but a skunk cleaner shrimp, for 4 weeks. Out of nowhere, the coral beauty contracted what looked like Popeye, I treated with Maracyn, and it died the next day. Since then, I added a far more efficient protein skimmer and bubble stone for decoration, and after several days the tank seemed ready; all of the fish were active, eating, and happy... this was a week ago...
So feeling optimistic 2 days ago, I added 2 three-stripe damsels
<Most Pomacentrids/damsels are too territorial to place in such small volumes...>
to the now 10 week old 25 gallon aquarium with live sand. Now at this time in the tank lived a small chocolate chip starfish, one small skunk cleaner shrimp, and one three-spot (domino) damsel.
<An exceedingly "mean" species... Please... read on WWM re the species you have, intend...>
I have been noticing increased aggression from the domino damsel toward the new additions, which is inconsistent with it's previous behavior but mostly consists of chasing the other fish into hiding. I understand that this can be a territorial fish, as well as aggressive, but it never acted so previously. These new additions have been acting in a way that I have not seen before with other fish, yet in a way consistent with the behavior of the previous decease blue damsel.
<The Domino needs to go... NOW>
Before the weekend of the massacre in my tank, this blue damsel, I noticed, would try and burrow into the sand with it's back/caudal fin (correct term?)<Y> down in the sand, head up, until the clear bottom of the tank was visible. I do not know exactly when after the fish died, but these 2 new three-stripe damsels are acting similarly. I am wondering if this appears to be a behavioral response to the aggressive domino damsel or if this is a sign of illness?
<The Dascyllus...>
The fish swim around actively, they do not gasp for air, hover in corners, rub against rocks, or have any visual signs of illness. However, this is how the new blue damsel acted shortly before it died, and I had never observed this behavior with the other damsels. Perhaps there are too few hiding places, and the fish are simply seeking cover? My main concern is that I am now ready to add another tang or angelfish to the tank, and I am hesitant to lose another friend (within the year I plan to upgrade to a much larger tank as they grow, once I am more knowledgeable). The levels in the water are all normal, except for slightly elevated nitrate levels. I do not wish to add another fish to the tank if these damsels are potentially ill. I'm wondering your thoughts on the deaths of these previous fish and the future of this tank. I had the pet store order me a yellow tang or powder blue, and it arrives today. Will it be safe for me to add this week? Thank you for your time.
<No my friend... your system is too small... again, you need to READ. Learn to/use the search tool, indices. Bob Fenner>

Clowns/Chromis/soft corals, comp.     5/21/07
Dear WWM Crew - hope you're all well. Wondered if you might be able to offer a bit of advice on additions to our tank? We've got a 250litre tank with Deltec hang-on skimmer and Fluval 404 external filter, with 4 x 48inch standard fluorescent lights (40W each, 2 actinic, 2 white). Things have been going fairly smoothly for the last 6 months or so, with current stock - 1 flame angel (thinks she owns the tank),
<Does>
1 midas blenny (keeps himself to himself, has been brown from the moment we brought him back from the shop over a year ago!),
<Some are>
4 blue/green Chromis (largest of which used to bully the others, but seems to get bullied himself by the flame angel now),
<Relegated to "second-bully" status>
3 cleaner shrimps and a few hermits/ snails. Parameters - pH 8.1, SG 1.025, Temp 27C, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, phosphate 0, KH 70mg/l, Calcium apparently 700mg/l on (almost out of date) Hagen test kit.
<Uhh, I'd get another brand>
We've only just tested KH and Ca for first time in a year, and are aware that we'll need to start using a buffer and get KH sorted out before adding any sessile inverts (as well as getting a new Ca test kit). We're keen to add some more stock (once we've got the KH sorted), and were thinking of a pair of clowns and an anemone - however, reading the WWM anemone pages, it's fairly clear that we haven't got enough light to think about an anemone.
<Correct>
Could you recommend any suitable "starter" soft corals that would a) do well in relatively low lighting levels and b) might be a suitable home for a pair of clowns?
<Mmm... well... most all of this is posted... though perhaps will take some time to sort out... Re Soft Coral selection and Clownfish Compatibility/Host FAQs files...>
Also, should we be particularly concerned about territoriality issues in adding clowns to our existing "dysfunctional family"?
<Yes... of a certainty there may be troubles here... It would be better to best to have introduced the Clowns first, and then the other Damsels (Clownfishes ARE damsels as well) as smaller specimens, some time later... if at all...>
Might it help to buy slightly bigger clowns, rather than the 1/2" "babies" usually on offer at our LFS?
<Ah yes... or to trade in the present Damsels really...>
As always, many thanks for your thoughts,
Jim+Jo, Norfolk, UK
<Please do see WWM re the above two Sel. and Comp. questions... Much ancillary information involved. The search tool, indices... Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Yellow Tailed Damsel Harassing Royal Gramma 4/23/07
Hi Bob, I love your website. <Hello, Chris here today.>  It has been extremely useful.  Thank you. <Welcome from all of us.> I am a long time reader with a first time question.  I have read the FAQ's regarding my problem but I still felt compelled to ask.  I have a 40 gallon breeder reef tank.  It has housed a tomato clown and yellow tailed damsel together for 1 year or so.  I added a Royal Gramma a few days ago and he was immediately harassed by the damsel.  The Gramma has been hiding behind a powerhead nursing a lightly torn up tail fin.  He eats the frozen mysis shrimp when they pass within a few inches of his powerhead at feeding time, but I have not seen him venture out further than this.   Will he and the damsel ever get along? <Maybe, maybe not.> A gentleman asked the same question in the FAQ's, only he had a 75 gallon tank.  You told him that everything ought to settle down, and that he could "Leave all in" with a tank of that size.  So now I am wondering, what about a 40 gallon tank?  Otherwise is there anything I could do to ameliorate the situation?  Thank you so much, Tom
<I would give it a couple weeks to a month and see if they can adjust to each other.  This is dependent on the Gramma continuing to eat of course.  If this stops he will have to be removed.  Otherwise you could remove the damsel for a couple of weeks and allow the Gramma to establish himself.  This helps sometimes in situations like this.  If none of these work then the two fish will just need to be permanently separated.>
<Chris>

Damsel tank... comp. mostly   1/19/07
Hi all, I can't say enough about this site, and the help it's been for a newly converted African tank to salt.
<Glad you have benefited>
My problem is compatibility with damsels or the lack there of.  I love the size, shape, and spunk of this fish type, but will I be able to
have an all damsel tank?
<Mmm... some species are more social... some schooling... But most are rather territorial... Need to research their natural compatibility, or guess at mixing on a per-species basis... provide sufficient suitable habitat (size, type)... and introduce the more peaceful first...>
Most stores in the Cleveland area just ask "Why would you want damsels in the first place?".  Is this possible and what types?
<Is possible... I'd look to species found in/about the "Wallace Line"... countries like Indonesia, Malaysia... you can search by country, re-sort by family... on Fishbase.org... Though then you will have to seek the particular species (or close ones... see the volumes of Gerald Allen re Pomacentrids) that you can acquire>
I have a 120 with 150 lbs of limestone and crushed coral (many hiding places).
Thanks for the help, Brian.
<An adventure awaits you... intellectually as well as human-endeavour. Bob Fenner>

Chrysiptera taupou behavior   1/3/07
Hello Crew, <'Allo, Bruce! Graham with you.>
I'm new to the marine hobby and have started to stock a 29G that was an established FOWLR tank owned by another person. I have 40 lb.s +- of LR and plenty of hiding spots.
<Not a very big system. Keep in mind that water is displaced by the hiding spots. Your 29g can quickly become a 18gal with 40lbs or LR and substrate.>
The first fish was a maroon clown about 1.5" long, followed by a six-line wrasse about 2" long, and last was what I have identified as a Chrysiptera Taupou; Village Belle, Fiji Blue Devil, etc.
<Again, this is a small system, probably too small for the damsel & clown.>
I believe the LFS called it a red tailed wrasse,
<Hmm...>
but it perfectly resembles the subject fish in my Atlas. All fish were added within a 5-day period. The damsel initially showed some aggression to the wrasse and clown, but after two days things appeared to settle down, although the damsel was always first at the buffet line.
<I assume that the damsel was not the last?>
Two more days go by and the damsel has apparently terrified the clown as it spends most of the time in the left top corner near the sump return.
<It sounds very characteristic of damsels of the Chrysiptera designation. "Devil" should have been a marker for you, but with the LFS's moniker of Red-tailed Wrasse, you can be forgiven.>
Today I came home from work and the wrasse is dead, and the damsel is doing what appears to be fanning sand on top of the wrasse with it's tail. Could the damsel have killed the wrasse?
<Oh, no. Yes, the damsel may have killed the wrasse, but without knowing how long this system has been up and running, nor what your water conditions are, I might add that the Six-line (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) would be the first to go with poor water conditions.>
Does the damsel need to go back to the LFS?
<In all likelihood, yes. You don't have much room, and even less room for stress triggered by aggression.>
It is very pretty, and everything I read says the clown should be a good match for it.
<We as hobbyists strive to balance "pretty" fishes with proper selection of these same specimens with regard to their tankmates and life-support. I think you will find in short order that, although the Maroon clown (Premnas biaculeatus) is a tough customer when it has been established in it's environment and feels secure, it is obviously stressed and the devil is seemingly taking advantage. (Maroons *are* usually pretty mean to other clowns, though)>
The next addition was going to be a yellow tang, followed by corals and clams (I've read that the six-line wrasse is necessary for the clams) and a move into a 50G within another year or so. I thought I had a good mix of fish. What do you think?
<I think you need to slow down a bit and do some extensive reading. Nothing bad can come of your waiting, but many bad things can and likely will result from hasty decisions. least welcome would be your discouragement from the hobby after failure.>
Thanks,
Bruce
<You're very welcome Bruce. -Graham T.>

My Damsel in Distress... And needing to know more re Pteroines   12/31/06
Thank you all for your website.  It has helped me set up my 55 Gallon FOWLR.  I bought two green/blue damsels and two yellow-tail damsels to cycle my tank.
<Not often the best method...>
  These will eventually become bait for a lionfish if my girlfriend doesn't get her saltwater aquarium set up soon since the intention has always been to care for a lionfish.  I¢m trying to decide what to put in the tank with the lionfish,
<Depending on the species... there won't be enough room for even the Lion>
but that isn¢t why I¢m writing.  I wish I found your site before getting the damsels because you prescribe getting them in odd numbers.
<Yes... many species>
I now have a yellow tail that is getting harassed constantly by the other yellow tail.  To the point where he hides behind my heater close to the surface all day long.  I have plenty of caves in the 20+ lbs of live rock but I believe he prefers this location to get a good view of his attacker, who coincidently has claimed the best cave in the tank and guards it well.
<Typical behavior>
This poor abused fish starts to vibrate his severally bitten fins frantically in fear when the other approaches.  I doubt he will survive the weekend because he never comes over for feeding anymore.  I¢ve had them for four days and the last two have been brutal.
Thank you,
Gino
<...? So? I'd move at least the bully out... if not all these Damsels... Oh, and read here re Lionfishes: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm
Scroll down... Bob Fenner>

Twitching clowns... Lots of cute names... for incompatible, over-stocked, soon-to-be-dead marines. Ho-buoy! Almost past-time to read    10/3/06
Hello Bob
I'm a new comer with a query.  I have a small tank of 38 litres, 2.5 kilos of live rock,
1 anemone about 3inches circumference (called Fats),
1 bubble anemone  1 1/2 inches circumference (called Mr. Willys)
<Anemones are largely incompatible cross-species... no matter what they're named>
1 star fish (called Miss Movie Star)
1 ocellaris clown (Snoopy 2.5cms long) for this time. but only 2 months ago added  Fats because he never went in to the Mr. Willys).
Once I got Fats he seemed happy and complete so after a couple of weeks I added one tiny domino damsel (Spots 1cm long),
<Let's call him Mr. Biggee, the Terminator>
which he constantly chased around the tank.
Snoopy was getting more and more aggressive so I purchased another ocellaris yesterday (Tony - 2.5cm long).
<Too much...>
Now Tony is the boss of the tank chasing snoopy away from Fats, they locked jaws fighting for the first few hours on off yesterday.  Today doesn't seem as bad but Tony chases Snoopy constantly and they both do this twitching movement on there side (Snoopy does it more)  Tony is forcing Snoopy behind the rock and then returns to Fats only for a few seconds then hangs around Snoopy and back and forth it goes.  Snoopy is a bit ragged today and doesn't look happy. Snoopy tries to return to Fats but Tony is on to him and doesn't let him stay for long and then with the twitching again.  Is Tony going to get him or what's going on.
Thanks Terri-Anne
<You have too much and incompatible life here... Please read re Anemone Compatibility: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemcompfaqs.htm
Clownfish Compatibility, Dascyllus Comp.... look these up for yourself. You need to either have a much larger system (tens of times what you have), more systems... or to return some of this livestock. BobF>

Damsels Will Be Damsels...!   9/30/06
Hi!
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
I just set up a new 29 gallon BioCube tank (my first tank) and when the tank was ready for fish, I bought a Hi Fin Goby and a wild-caught Percula Clownfish.  After two days the clownfish jumped into the filter system along the back of the tank and died (the goby jumped the back of the tank too, but he came through OK).
<Yikes...sorry to hear about the Clown.>
I put up a plastic barrier to prevent this from happening again and ordered a tank raised clownfish from the LFS.
<Good moves.>
In the mean time, I bought a Yellow/Golden Damsel to help "feed" the live sand and rock.  He's very fun to watch (my cats love him) and both the Goby and Damsel are eating well.  They've been together for a few days and at first it didn't look like the Damsel was chasing the Goby or exhibiting aggressive behavior, but yesterday I noticed that the Goby's "hi fin" had been chewed down. Will the Goby's fin grow back on its own or is there something else I need to do to make sure he's OK (i.e., add vitamins or antibiotics).
<In all likelihood, the damaged fin will grow back. However, you do want to keep very stable, clean water conditions to prevent the possibility of infection. Also, I'll be that the Damsel had something to do with this fin damage...And it may be repeated as long as the Damsel is in the system!>
What should I do about the damsel? I would ultimately like to get a Royal Gramma and/or Spotted Mandarin to go with the Clown and Goby, along with some coral and inverts.  Will the damsel be too much of a problem in this mix?
<Quite probably. Damsels of many species have a well-deserved reputation for aggressiveness. I'm not sure which species you have (a number of different species go by the common moniker, "Yellow Damsel", so pics or a scientific name would help, but it's almost always a safe bet to assume the worst (in regards to aggressiveness) when keeping these fish!>
Any help would be greatly appreciated! - Linda
<Well, Linda- I'd consider either not adding the more peaceful fish that you are considering, or perhaps setting up a new tank for the Damsel to rule! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

How many blue devil damsels in a 55G tank?    8/13/06
And don't say zero. :)
<Heeee heeeeee!>
I know people dislike them, and I know why, but they're the reason I got into SW in the first place. For the last ten months I've had three in my 55G tank, along with a chocolate chip starfish (eight months), and a few small hermit crabs and shrimp. All is peaceful; the damsels do snipe at each other occasionally but it's not serious.
I would like to get a few more. I do not plan to have any other kinds of fish in the tank - am I able to add more, and if so how many could my tank comfortably support?
<Mmm, would have to define terms here... but three of the "standard species": http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chrysiptera.htm\
and the files linked above.>
I will, of course, be quarantining them prior to their introduction to the main tank, and I intend to rearrange all rocks when they go in.
Thanks!
Heather
<Could crowd a bunch more in... but they would eventually reduce their number to about this. Bob Fenner>

Marine Stocking Query 8/12/06
This question concerns stocking options on my new Marine tank.
<Ok, let’s give it a shot.>
In summary the display tank has 250 liters of water in after displacement, 10 cm of 1-2 mm crushed marble sand bed, a 100 liter sump (3000 liter hour overflow), 3 liters sintered glass beads, Merlin Fluidized Bed Filter, cured concrete rock sculptures (complex design with lots of hiding places), and RATZ sulfur granules canister connected to a IKS dosing pump at a slow flow rate and Tunze Turbelle circulation pump 6000 liters and hour, Deltec MCE 600 protein skimmer, and Geissmann 250 watt MQI light, 14,000K.
Currently there is one 3 cm yellow belly blue damsel, one 3 cm percula clown, and one Fire Shrimp, which have been resident in the tank for one month with no problems. Ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, nitrate 5 ppm, pH 8.3 calcium 400 ppm (more important for the shrimp). <Sounds good.>
I had planned continuing the damsel trend with the addition of one white tailed damsel, one domino damsel and one honey striped damsel. This would probably work initially with every one being about 3 cm, but as they grow this tank may become somewhat argumentative or dangerously aggressive. The clown may have a tough time.
<Whatever the weakest fish is will have the toughest time, may not necessarily be the clown.>
Is this still workable (worth the risk), or would a safer long term option be another percula clown and three blue or green Chromis.
<Definitely safer, but as to its worth that is up to you.  If you do attempt the damsels tank be ready to remove fish as needed, and this may happen suddenly.  I'm not familiar with the common names of white tailed or honey striped damsels, but the domino is pretty nasty as it get older, may want to reconsider this choice.>
All the Best
Mike L.
<Good luck with your new endeavor.>
<Chris>

Chromis viridis and Amphiprion ocellaris questions. New Marine Tank…. Compatibility and Stocking   7/6/06
Hello crew,
<Hi Matt.>
     Thanks again for this awesome resource.
<And Thank you for the recognition, you are welcome.>
  I've looked through the FAQ's
<Sweet.>
and still have a few questions.
<That’s why I’m here!>
I have a 55 gallon tank with about 50 pounds of LR, skimmer, Emperor 400, and 2 MaxiJet 1200’s.  
<Well I would rather see a hang on refugium in place of the Emperor but it sounds good for the most part.>
Currently the tank houses 1 coral banded shrimp, 3 peppermints, and a crew of a couple  dozen hermits and snails and varying species.  No fish yet.
<Okay.>
Ammonia and nitrite are 0, and nitrate <10.
<All acceptable.>
  I have two tank raised ocellaris clowns in  a 10 gallon and would like to move them into the bigger tank.
<QT tank…awesome.>
They are still juveniles, but seem to have paired up (although the female to be is pretty mean at feeding time).
<Expected.>
I would also like to add a school of five Chromis viridis to the bigger tank as well.  The clown tank will eventually serve as a quarantine, but the LFS will have to hold the Chromis for now.  
Will these species mix without too many problems?  
<It should though both species in question while relatively mild-mannered (well barring large female ocellaris which are anything but mild-mannered) are damsels…and still at times show aggression…but it should be okay.>
Is this an acceptable bioload?
<Yes.>
Which species should I add first?  
<I would like to see the Chromis go in first.>
The clowns are currently doing fine in the smaller tank.
<Cool.>
  Sorry for the ridiculous amount of questions;
<No worries.>
I just want to make the transition as smooth for these fish as possible.  This setup will probably become a reef tank eventually and it seems that these
fish would all be fairly reef safe.
<Yes…>
Thanks,
<Anytime.>
Matt
<Adam J.>

Damsels, Cycling, and Algae - 05/20/2006
I’m in the process of starting up a saltwater aquarium for the first time.  After reading through some of your posts I see that I probably should not have followed the advice of my aquarium store.
<Uh-oh....>
I have two damsel fish and live rock in a 29 gallon tank in the cycling phase. I’ve lost 2 damsels.... and the tank isn’t nearly cycled yet.  
<Return those fish.  The live rock alone is sufficient for cycling the tank.  Get the fish back to the store before the conditions in your cycling tank kill them.>
I have 2 issues.... 1 is brown algae which has appeared on everything.... sand, rack and tank.  
<To be expected with a newly established system.  You'll go through some phases of different algal "blooms".>
The other issue regards the fish themselves.  Every so often they tend to swim almost parallel with each other, leaning to one side and occasionally nipping each other....
<Damsels are HIGHLY territorial, and HIGHLY aggressive.  In such a small system, I do not recommend trying to keep damsels at all.  And again, since the tank is cycling, I would get them back to the fish store *pronto*.>
One damsel is a deep blue with a purple tail.... the other is a brownish with a large brown vertical stripe ¼ from the eye.  Any suggestions on either issue?  
<Just as above.  Also, you might want to take a read through a couple of good books that will help you along your way - "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael Paletta and "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner.  The former will help you start out, the latter will be an excellent reference that will be very worthwhile.  And, of course, keep using WetWebMedia.  There's a lot of great things to learn, here!>
Thanks,  -Steve.
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Damsel Aggression - 5/3/2006
Wet Web Media Crew,
<<Hey Dustin.>>
I bought a 2" regal tang yesterday and brought him home to acclimate to my 240 gallon tank.
<<No quarantine?>>
I currently have a small domino damsel (1.5"), and a pair of maroon clown fish, both around 2".  He seems to be doing well, swimming around but the domino damsel will not leave him alone.  The damsel keeps backing up into the regal tang and the tang is doing the same to the damsel.  It is like they are trying to put their butts on each other or something.  They just follow each other around as if they are each others shadow.  Is this normal behavior.  Possibly a territorial behavior?
<<Most certainly aggression.  Bob refers to Domino Damsels as “saltwater piranha!”  You may have luck re-arranging rock work, re-introducing at the same time with lights dimmed.>>
Thank you so much,
Dustin LeCave
<<Glad to help. Good luck! Lisa.>>

Damsels...still evil  - 04/27/06
Dear WWM team
<Hi Dinah.>
Firstly you have a great website which has been extremely helpful to my husband and I who have only owned a marine tank for 5 months now.
<Outstanding.>
We recently made our first purchases for the tank (all previous items in the tank is how we bought it from previous owner).  We think we may have made a BIG mistake though.
<You wouldn't be the first.>
We already had a blue damsel in the tank
<Can be quite nasty...>
along with various other fish (2 x honey clown, 1 lunar wrasse, 1 blue tang, 1 hogfish, 1 cardinal, 1 banded coral shrimp).
<Mmm...what size is this tank, the wrasse and the surgeon both grow to considerable sizes...not to mention the wrasse (when larger) can prey on some of the smaller stock, especially the shrimp.>
When we added the Starck's damsel to the tank (despite asking if it would co-exist with our other fish at the pet shop) the blue damsel got VERY cranky and has remained quite 'puffed up' about the situation.
<Expected.>
It hasn't been 24 hours yet so maybe we're overreacting, but any advice on whether the blue damsel will calm down and will be able to co-exist and allow the Starck's damsel to come out from under the rocks one day?  
<It may and it may not (these are individuals) only time will tell...expect the worst, hope for the best. And if things do go sour be prepared to remove one or preferably both.>
Or should we remove the new one and take back to the pet shop?
<That choice is up to you.>
Many thanks
Dinah
<Adam J.>

Re: Damsels Still Evil  - 5/5/2006
Adam, many thanks for the response, we really appreciate the advice.
<Anytime, and sorry this one was delayed.>
The blue damsel seems a little better but is still agitated, we're going to give it a few more days.
<Okay.>
The Starck's Damsel came out last night for a half hour or so, feeding is the big issue at the moment as it did not feed with
the rest (understandably!).
<Yes he is quite stressed I imagine.>
I guess my husband and I will learn by our mistakes!!!
<As have I....>
The tank is around 200 litres (not sure what the gallon equivalent is, we're Aussies!).
<Roughly 50 U.S. Gallons.>
After reading your site yesterday and a conversation with one pet shop (about the lunar wrasse) I discovered we may have issues with the
wrasse down the track wanting to eat other fish!
<Yes! Not to mention he will outgrow the tank some-day.>
  They are only around 7-8cm long at the moment (the surgeon is about 5-6cm), but if you had any advice
on when we should think about replacing them with others, I'd be appreciative.
<I'd day remove the surgeon within a year or so.>
Other than that thanks for your very speedy response, your website is outstanding - problem for me is I could sit here and ask questions all
day... don't worry I shall refrain to emergency questions only!
<General queries are acceptable as long as you don't abuse it...always attempt to find the answer on your won first....>
Thanks again
<Anytime.>
Dinah
<Adam J.>

Forget the Kitty... it's Hello damsel... or Hellish Damsel... Dasc. comp.   3/4/06
     Hi my name is Anthony, I am not new to aquaria, but am about 5 months new to marine aquaria.
I had bought a tank and have it set up and running. I bought the cheapest fish at the store and purchased a Domino,  yellow tailed, and a three stripe. Well I found out quick that damsels are JERKS.
<Heee!>
Anyways the Domino killed the other two through harassment. I want to put other fish in for my pleasure, I am also reluctant to give up the domino, because after all he is my fish. I write to you because you seem to understand my predicament and know about damsels well. What would you recommend I place in my aquarium. Other damsels or other fish?
<Up to you...>
Should they be Larger, aggressive, or... I was thinking keeping it aggressive and adding Marginated Damsel fish (leaning towards marginated), Blue & Gold Damsel fish,
Fiji Blue Devil Damsel fish, Blue Velvet Damsel fish, and Jewel Damsel fish. Also after reading some of your pages I saw you said
---"Young to moderate size D. trimaculatus and the Hawaiian sibling species D. albisella are frequently found in the same sort of mutualistic symbiotic relationship as Clown fishes; cavorting in and amongst sea anemone tentacles. Sometimes right along with Amphiprion species!"---
So does this mean I should get a D. albisella? And why are they in a mutualistic relationship?
<Mmm, let's skip ahead... the current Dascyllus, unless this tank is very large (more than a hundred gallons...) will likely "harass" any/all new fishes... I would either trade it in... or look to other families of fishes... and still recluse the Domino for a few weeks (perhaps in a floating colander if you don't have another tank) to give the new fishes a chance to become familiar, established... Really, if it were me, and this tank was smaller... I'd trade this fish in and start again>
If you would give me some suggestions they don't have to be limited to damsels or even fish thank you!!!!! Anthony
<Bob Fenner>

Damsel and Royal Gramma Fighting   2/26/06
Hi,
<And you>
I'd like to compliment you on a great website: Long time reader, first question.
Today I added a Royal Gramma to my 75 gal FO tank (after a 5 week quarantine).  I rearranged the decor, thinking the Gramma would be picked on, as I read they are a peaceful fish (boy was I wrong, the Gramma is one feisty little fish!)
<Ah, yes>
  After scrapping a little with most of my other fish, all fighting has subsided; except with my Yellow Tail Blue Damsel (Chrysiptera parasema).  Whenever they come into close proximity of each other they start fighting.  They are pretty evenly matched, and both are showing a little "wear" and stress from the fighting.  I was wondering if maybe they look a little to similar to each other, with yellow tails, and the fighting is going to continue.
<Mmm, likely not...>
Should I let it go for another day and see what happens, or should I remove one of them immediately.
<In this sized system, all should settle down/in>
When I searched, I found plenty of information on fighting, but not between these two types of fish, and couldn't ascertain the chances of these two settling down and cohabitating relatively peacefully.  
<Odds are pretty good... more than 90%>
I, of course, would really like to keep them both.  The Damsel was my first fish, and has never fought with any of my other fish when they were added, so this kind of surprised me.
Thanks,
Greg
<I'd leave all in. Bob Fenner>

Damsel Debate (adding Damsel To Established Tank)   2/23/06
Hi Crew,
>Hi there! Scot F. here today!>
Would I be completely crazy to try to put a Pomacentrus alleni into a 30 gallon (with lots of live rock) that now has a Yellow Clown Goby (Gobiodon okinawae), a Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica), and a Fireshrimp?
Thanks,
Tom
<Well, Tom- you're not totally crazy, but, as you imagine- there is a very real possibility that the Damsel could create some chaos in the tank. I think that the one positive is that the Damsel is the last fish being added to an already populated tank, which may minimize his antagonistic behavior. Any new fishes added after the Damsel are likely to face a pretty heavy "welcome"! There are no guarantees either way- the Damsel may work out just fine, or it could be a complete terror. Fish, like people, are individuals and don't always conform to our expectations of their behavior. In the end, you'll just have to go with your gut feelings. Perhaps going with a juvenile alleni could maximize your chances for a peaceful integration with the rest of the community. Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Compatibility/Marine/Blue Devil & Tang, Flame Angel compatibility   2/23/06
Hi Bob and Crew, <Hello Mandy.>
You have a fantastic site and I'm really impressed with your generosity in giving your time, so firstly thank you! <You're welcome.>
I have a 55G tank
Current inhabitants:
1 yellow tang
1 flame angel
1 sixline wrasse
2 blue-green Chromis
1) I really love the Blue Devil Damsels (Chrysiptera Cyanea) and am wondering if they will be compatible with my yellow tang and flame angel? I would like
to add 1, 3 or 5. <The tang and angel could hold their own but I think the Chromis' would be picked on.>
2) Will I need to remove the Chromises and sixline - are they compatible with the Blue Devils?
3) Would the Yellow-Tail Blue Damsel (Chrysiptera parasema) be a better option? <Yes, much less aggressive than the Blue Devil and do not grow quite as large.>
Previous research:
I posted a thread on the forum and unfortunately didn't get a definitive answer:
http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=2&thread=34311&tstart=0&trange=15
I also researched WWM:
Damsel compatibility   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/damselcompfaqs.htm
Chromis compatibility   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chromcompfaqs.htm
Damsels   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/damsels.htm
Chrysiptera Damsels   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chrysiptera.htm
I am a long-time reader, first-time emailer, and would very much appreciate your professional input.
Thank you so much for your time. <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Mandy
Australia

Four stripe damsel compatibility help  - 2/11/2006
Hi, hope you are having a wonderful day.
<So far, yes. Thanks>
I am new to salt water aquariums and learning lots every day. I did several months research before I started the aquarium, but seem to
have let my eyes and heart make a mistake. My tank size is 120 gallons with 100 lbs of Haitian live rock. I am adding mushroom and xenia corals
and they are doing great. Hope to add some Ricordea corals soon. Here's the problem :( My first fish was and is a four stripe damsel - he
is so cute. Love the colors - black, white and a neon blue trimmed tail. He's been in the tank for about 2 months.
<... the "tyrant">
I have added 4 Green Chromis and they seem to get alone ok. They have been in the tank about 5 weeks. Added
a pink spotted Goby and still all well. He's been in the tank about 3 weeks. Earlier this week added 2 skunk cleaner shrimp, still all is well.
I really want to add some other fish like a Clownfish pair. First, will this be ok with the four stripe damsel?
<Only time can/will tell. Your system is large enough to allow for some aggression>
Second, If so, do I need to get a bubble tip anemone?
<Possibly... see WWM re Selection... best to go with a captive produced specimen>
Any advice on fish that I can keep with my four stripe I would greatly appreciate.
<Posted...>
Read through quite a few other emails on this site over the past week and tried to catch the damsel, so I wouldn't have to ask this
question, but after an all day struggle, I don't think he's coming out. He must sense that I really like him and don't want to hurt him with the net.
Thanks and I hope you have a great afternoon,
Susanne
<Keep an open mind, heart, and keep reading... investigating before purchasing... you'll do fine. Bob Fenner>

My Damsels Don't Play Nice! - 01/04/06
Hey crew,
<<Howdy>>
I am having some problems with my fish getting along.
<<Ruh roh!>>
In my 49G bowfront saltwater aquarium, I have one three-stripe damsel,
<<Ack!  Here's a problem already.  This is one of the more
territorial/aggressive damsels available in the trade...second only to the domino damsel maybe.>>
a false percula clown (aqua cultured), a clarkii clown (aqua cultured), a
tomato clown (wild), a blue damsel, and a purple Pseudochromis,
<<Yowza!  A smallish) tank full of little nasties (clownfish are 'damsels' too).  No wonder you're having problems.>>
a coral banded shrimp, a green pincushion urchin, a purple urchin, about 15 Blueleg hermit crabs, various snails, one emerald crab, 50 lbs. of live rock,  and a 4-inch crushed coral sand bed.  Surprisingly, the damsels get along well,
<<Tis surprising>>
but the clarkii clown harasses all the other fish except the Pseudochromis.
<<Not a good idea to mix clownfish species in a tank this size.>>
It doesn't seem to bother the three-stripe damsel often either.
<<No surprise here...as the three-stripe matures it will probably come to rule all.>>
do you have any suggestions on how to stop this.
<<Not one you will like...  For this tank, were it me, and basing off the fish selections you have made, I would pick a pair of clownfish of the same specie and a trio of damsels of the same (and a bit more gentle) specie...perhaps Chromis viridis, Chromis atripectoralis, or Chromis xanthurus >>
I seem to be having an algae problem too.  Green hair algae is growing everywhere.
<<Could be many things...overfeeding, insufficient filtration/nutrient export, source water/salt mix, etc....do have look among our FAQs re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm >>
I have about 40 watts of lighting that stays on for 8 hours.  I have an Excalibur skimmer,
<<Maybe time for an upgrade.>>
an emperor power filter, 2 power heads, and I do a 10% water change every other week.  I use Phos-guard, my pH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all good.  I don't think I overfeed.  What I give them is always gone under 2 minutes, and hardly any of it sinks all the way to the bottom.  I usually feed them TETRA flakes w/brine shrimp, but occasionally they get blood worms or krill.  What do you think the problem is, and what can I do to stop it?
<<Do some research at the link provided earlier and the indices in blue.  Also try a keyword search on our site for 'nuisance algae'…  Much more good info to be found than can be relayed here.>>
I am interested in purchasing a few more inhabitants, I would like
something to stir up the sand bed.  I would also like a good showcase fish.  I would love a suggestion that would fit in with the rest of the inhabitants (an angel possibly).
<<Possibly...one of the dwarf species...my suggestion would be Centropyge loricula, the Flame Angel.  Though do consider my recommendations on changing your current stocking before adding this fish.>>
I am on a budget though and I would like something relatively easy to care for.
<<C. loricula can fill this bill nicely, and is a beautiful fish to boot.  Be sure to get a healthy/feeding specimen and house with appropriate tankmates/provide a proper diet.  Have a look here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/centropyge/loricula.htm >>
I would also like a few invertebrates that are fun to watch, and would make a good addition to the tank.
<<I think you already have those...>>
I thought maybe a lettuce Nudibranch.
<<Dreadful choice, most will starve within weeks.>>
I am open to any suggestions you have about anything.
<<Do consider what I have said...as well as your own research re.>>
Thanks a lot,
Aaron
<<You're welcome.  Regards, EricR>>

Mixing Damsels, or WWIII  - 01/03/2006
Hello,
<Hi.>
I had one quick question.
<Okay.>
I was wondering if mixing 1 green Chromis, 1 blue
Chromis, and 1, 3 or four striped convict damsel (depending on availability at
the store) would be a good idea in a 29 gallon tank?
<No as they age aggression will ensue, the other 2 will easily bully the Chromis. I would choose 1 species and go with a pair or trio rather than mix species.>
Thanks for the help, your
website is great!
<Thank you, Adam J.>

Killer Damsel? Oh yes
Hi;
<Greetings>
I have had a 55 gallon tank with the following
- Domino Damsel
- 4 Striped Damsel
- False Percula Clownfish
- Clown Goby
- Mandarin Goby
- Firefish
Over the past 24 hours I have found the Mandarin, Clown Goby, and Clownfish  
dead.  They were all eating (I have a refugium for copepods for the  
Mandarin), the water is fine, and I see no signs of disease on the other fish.  Is it
possible the Domino is killing off the tankmates? Other suggestions?
Thanks, John
<Very likely the "dark dude with the white spots" "did it"... Yes. Trade that bad boy in. Bob Fenner>

Damselfish compatibility  12/26/05
Hello, <Hello Ryan>
I have a 29 gallon tank with at least 1/3 the volume of live rock, so there are plenty of hiding places. All of my water levels are correct and this tank has been established for at least two years. Currently I am only housing a chocolate chip starfish because I sold the other fish. Hey I was in need of serious money at the time. But anyways, I am thinking about purchasing 3 damsel fish because they are relatively cheap. I was wondering what three to get. Also after those three have been added, probably a month later or so, I would like to introduce one more fish to the tank that's not a damsel. Are there any suggestions on what kind of fish will be able to hold their own in a tank full of damsels? Thanks for the help and by the way I really like the website! I recommend it to everyone it to a lot of people. <In your 29 I'd go with three yellow tail damsels, relatively peaceful for a member of that family.  Later on adding a Dottyback would be a good choice or even a lawnmower blenny.  James (Salty Dog)>
R.C.

Small Marine Aquaria Stocking  12/16/05
Hi,
<Hello!>
I currently have a small (1 inch) yellow tail damsel alone with a small
liverock in my 5-gallon Eclipse corner tank.
<That’s quite small even for this species.>
He's been in there for about a
month and the ammonia, nitrate, etc.. levels are all very low. I plan on
getting some hermit crabs to clean stuff up,
<Only one, and be sure it’s a small (dwarf) species.>
and I am wondering if there are
any other small fish that I could put in the tank that would be cool with my damsel-
<No.>
I was thinking maybe a neon goby?
<Damsel is likely to destroy/attack anything added after it, not to mention the size of the tank…much to small a water volume for one fish long-term let alone two.>
I would really like to have 2 fish
in this tank. Any suggestions?
<Nothing but the above.>
Thanks in advance!
<Welcome, Adam J.>

The Spawns of Satan, also known as Damsels  12/8/05
I have a 50G tank.
<Okay.>
I had three damsels in it alone,
<I see where this is going.>
ranging in size small (3/4 inch) med (1inch), large (about 2 inches). I then added a compressed Toby, which I think some call a blue spotted puffer. The Toby is totally chill
<”Totally Chill” – that’s one of my phrases. A SoCal phrase I call them.>
<<Up here the word is "hella", or "heck OF" - emphasis on the "of".   I'm more chill, myself, being from SoCal <waves>.  Marina>>
and keeps to himself. Two of the damsels, the two larger ones, kept harassing "him".
<Expected.>
They would back into his face or side and flick their tales, etc. I haven’t seen any actual nipping and The Toby seemed to just not be bothered. 
<Maybe not now but this harassment will end in the death of the puffer if allowed to continue.>
Yesterday I added a dwarf lion.
<Large and messy, will be heavy on the bio-load of this tank. While these animals are “dwarfed” compared to their cousins like the Volitans, they still get quite large at 7.”>
Now, the damsels leave Toby alone and are now doing the same to the dwarf lion.
<Again, this is very expected.>
So far the lion hasn’t done anything about the bothersome pesty guys.  What will become of this...the lion can prick the damsels or eat the damsels anytime he feels like it, can't he.
<Depends on his size in relation to theirs, and their speed. Contrary to popular belief Lions do not fair well in aggressive tanks, they are large ambush predators but are usually much more likely to harmed then harm. Other fish are quite prone to nip on their fins, especially large aggressive shoals of damsels, triggers and puffers.>
Will they eventually stop or will one or more of them eventually get killed.
<The latter.>
It's now the largest and smallest of the damsels getting all bold and bothering the lion. I would feel sorry for the Damsels, but they are being the bothersome ones.
<Honestly, the damsels need to be removed, Adam J.>